Arsène Wenger has described the current January window as the most disturbing and destabilising he has known and the noises around a clutch of transfer and contractual situations remain loud. Arsenal must block them out against Roy Hodgson’s resurgent Crystal Palace. What was most disturbing for Wenger’s team in last Sunday’s defeat at Bournemouth was the sterile possession and lack of creativity. Palace will look to be compact. Arsenal must find the answers. David Hytner
Saturday 3pm
Venue Emirates Stadium
Last season Arsenal 2 Crystal Palace 0
Referee Chris Kavanagh
This season G8 Y30 R0 3.75 cards/game
Odds H 1-2 A 5-1 D 7-2
ARSENAL
Subs from Ospina, Macey, Iliev, Debuchy, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Mavropanos, Mertesacker, Elneny, Iwobi, Nelson, Akpom, Welbeck
Doubtful Maitland-Niles (ill), Özil (knee)
Injured Kolasinac (ankle, 24 Jan), Giroud (hamstring, 27 Jan), Cazorla (achilles, unknown)
Suspended None
Form WDWDDL
Discipline Y36 R0
Leading scorers Lacazette, Sánchez 7
CRYSTAL PALACE
Subs from Speroni, Henry, Souaré, Delaney, Ward, Lokilo, Wan-Bissaka, Ladapo, Lee, Cabaye, Kaikai, Townsend
Doubtful Townsend (ankle), Ward (match fitness)
Injured Sakho (calf, Feb), Loftus-Cheek (ankle), Schlupp (knee, both Mar), Puncheon, Wickham (both knee, Aug), Dann (knee, Oct), Mutch (unknown)
Suspended None
Form WDLDWW
Discipline Y45 R0
Leading scorers Milivojevic, Zaha 4