ARSENAL were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace as their winning run ended on Thursday night.
The Gunners are reportedly eyeing up a swoop for Barcelona keeper Neto, while we've the very latest on the Mesut Ozil saga.
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Follow all the latest from the Emirates below…
- Jake Lambourne
MORE WIL POWER NEEDED
Ray Parlour still dreams Arsenal will sign "special talent" Wilfried Zaha.
He told Stadium Astro: "I’m sure (Unai) Emery would have loved to have someone like Zaha but again it’s down to the board and money available."
Before adding: "When he’s running at you full pelt… I wouldn’t like to play against him as a defender!
"You know he makes things happen, he goes down, he gets freekicks in good areas, he can get penalties at times.
"He’s a real talent. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see him in an Arsenal shirt."
- Jake Lambourne
MAR BAD NEWS
Mikel Arteta has stated that centre-back Pablo Mari is set to miss a few games with a calf injury.
Commenting on the Spaniard, he said: "He had a calf injury in training [on Wednesday].
"I think he will miss a few matches.
"He's another one we will lose but we've got Gabi [Magalhaes] back after COVID, which is good news, we've got Thomas back as well. Let's focus on the positives."
- Jake Lambourne
EUR JOKING
EXCLUSIVE – Arsenal face having to play both their Europa League ties with Benfica on a neutral venue as a result of strict new travel restrictions in the UK.
The Gunners are due to travel to Lisbon for the first-league of their last-32 clash on February 18 with the Portuguese team visiting London a week later.
But tough new laws to prevent the new Brazilian strain of Covid-19 from entering Britain mean travel is now banned from Portugal as well.
And unlike other restrictions in the past, SunSport has learnt the elite sport exemption does NOT apply in this case – meaning neither Arsenal or Benfica are able to travel for the games.
Government officials are refusing to take any chances with the newly-mutated form of the coronavirus, clamping down on anyone traveling to or from Portugal for the foreseeable future.
- Jake Lambourne
AUBA AND OUT
Arsenal icon Ray Parlour believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is too easy to defend as his struggles in front og goal continues.
Speaking to Stadium Astro, he said: "I just think he’s going through a bad spell, he’s doing the best he can. Maybe he just has to roam a little bit more as a player.
"At times he’s always on that left-hand side. I’d like to see him do what Eze did in the first half, go across into the middle at times and get into areas where he can be dangerous.
"That might really upset the defenders you’re playing against. At the moment, he’s pretty straightforward to play against, Aubameyang because you know exactly where he’s going to run, you know where he’s going to go.
"He’s going to cut inside on his right foot and he’s probably easy to mark at the moment for defenders. I’d like to see the movement a little bit better. I can see exactly where he’s going to run."
- Jake Lambourne
XHAK ATTACK
Granit Xhaka starred during the draw against Crystal Palace.
And the Gunners can have him to thank for not losing after these two crucial interventions.
- Jake Lambourne
WRIGHT NOISE
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has stated Arsenal are too reliant on Kieran Tierney as the Gunners struggled in the Scotsman's absence against Crystal Palce.
Quoted by the Mirror, Wright said: "One player does make such a difference and I think it's a bit of a worry because you take him out the team and that side doesn't function.
"And when we are talking about the way Kieran Tierney gets up and down, and we are talking about for the full 90 minutes, he never stops and this is why.
"You look at someone like [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang today, didn't quite get the chances he normally gets because Kieran Tierney is normally flashing things in and around the box.
"It didn't happen today really on either side with the same amount of crosses when Kieran Tierney is playing. It has to come from somewhere else.
"I think the set-pieces today, when you consider Arsenal have a set-piece coach, the balls that were coming in were very good balls – they weren't being attacked very well.
"Those are the things when it's not quite going for you when you are trying to play your game you've got to find another way."
- Jake Lambourne
TAKE XHAK
Mikel Arteta has praised the performance of Granit Xhaka for his performance against Crystal Palace.
Speaking of the Swiss star immediately after the match, the Arsenal gaffer said: "He’s progressing really well.
"He’s played a lot of minutes, he’s evolving the right way and he’s one of our leaders for sure.
"He had some really important moments today."
- Jake Lambourne
FEEL THE BURN
Some fans argued Arsenal sold the wrong goalkeeper at the start of the season after allowing Emiliano Martinez to join Aston Villa.
But Bernd Leno is proving the doubters wrong.
- Jake Lambourne
SHRED OF DETAIL
Mesut Ozil are reportedly ready to terminate Mesut Ozil's contract with the club.
The midfielder remains well out of the first-team picture, with boss Mikel Arteta unlikely to add him to his squad list for the second half of the season.
Now, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are ready to cut their losses six months early.
Romano posted on Twitter that 'negotiations are still on' but that there has been no agreement to rip up his contract yet.
Turkish giants Fenerbahce are the favourites to sign the 32-year-old, and they are prepared to wait until the end of the transfer window to get him.
- Jake Lambourne
BROKEN ARTED
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta claimed the club lacked 'freshness' in their draw against Crystal Palace that ended their three-game winning run in the Premier League.
He told the club's website: "After a great run we wanted to come here today and win the match, but I think we lacked some freshness.
“We lacked some quality and end product in the final third to win the game. We took a point, another clean sheet which is really positive, but disappointing not to get the three points.
“I think the spirit – and we did have some difficulties in the game where we started to give some difficult balls away without any pressure – and the attitude the team showed in tracking back.
"I think the boys were terrific there but we lacked that freshness today and that spark in the final third."
- Jake Lambourne
GUNNED DOWN
David Luiz has stated he would swap the clean sheet against Crystal Palace for a win following Thursday night's 0-0 draw,
Speaking of the match, he told Arsenal's website: "I think we could have scored some goals and that's frustrating.
"In these kinds of games, if you score one, you can score two or three but until you break the low block of the opponent, it's going to be difficult.
"It's up to us to try to find some new solutions and that's frustrating because I think we could do it in that game.
"OK, I'm happy [with the clean sheet] but I prefer to win rather than just keeping a clean sheet.
"Of course for the long process it's always good to continue to keep clean sheets and improve our defensive side, but I will always trade a clean sheet for a victory because I prefer the collective."
- Jake Lambourne
TIER WE GO
Kieran Tierney has revealed how one chat with Hector Bellerin 'changed everything' for him at Arsenal.
Speaking in a documentary about Bellerin called 'Unseen Journey', he said: "I think he could see when I came that I was pretty nervous. I had the young boy look about me.
"You don’t have much time to settle in [at Arsenal]. You are playing with big players and big names, so you have to hit the ground running. I remember that I probably overthought every mistake I made.
"I went home and was like, 'I could have done better, I could have done this'. Whereas I wish I had just relaxed a little bit more and enjoyed it.
"And that was the time Hector said to me, 'you’re good enough to play here, just believe in yourself'.
"That helped me so much. Just that little talk. It was after training in the changing room.
"Me and him had just done a gym session and after it we sat down for an hour and spoke. I think that changed everything."
- Jake Lambourne
END THIS MES
Mesut Ozil should QUIT Arsenal this month or face being 'physically in trouble', according to former defender William Gallas.
When asked if Ozil leaving this month would be in the interests of both player and club, Gallas told PlayOJO: "Maybe…
"It’s been a long time since he last played and I’m sure he’s frustrated.
"When you don’t play, physically you’ll be in trouble when you come back. If he can leave, he should leave."
The Frenchman added: "I don’t think the board want Ozil so right now they need to find a solution and let him go to another club."
- Jake Lambourne
DON'T BANK ON IT
Premier League sides have reportedly accepted that pre-season tours around the world won't happen this summer due to coronavirus.
It will be the second summer in a row that the money-spinners are shelved as the pandemic rages on.
MailOnline reports that 'tours are already off the agenda', with there even being concerns around trips within the UK.
The government is rolling out a huge vaccination programme with it hoped that by mid-July 'huge numbers of the UK population will be vaccinated'.
But there are still worries that travel restrictions will remain in place.
Premier League clubs are set to miss out on millions in merchandise and TV deals from games around the globe.
And Mailonline adds that they could be hit with 'penalty payments' for being unable to honour deals with sponsors.
- Marc Mayo
MORNING, ARSENAL FANS
Mikel Arteta admitted "fatigued" Arsenal "lacked the quality" of their three-game win run in last night's 0-0 home Premier League draw with Crystal Palace.
The Eagles actually had more of the chances, although Alexandre Lacazette shot into the Palace side-netting and Vicente Guaita foiled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's drive.
After the Gunners remained 11th, boss Arteta said: "We created a lot of situations against the low block but lacked the final quality. We probably didn't do enough to win the game.
"We are playing a lot of games and you can see fatigue is paying a price, many players aren't fresh.
"We had a period that was fatigue-related where we kept giving the ball away."
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce sporting director Emre Belozoglu claims Arsenal outcast Mesut Ozil is "closer than ever" to joining the Turkish giants.
Belozoglu insists Fenerbahce can handle signing such a big earner but admitted talks are only edging forward "slowly"
Barcelona reserve keeper Neto is the latest name mentioned as a possible incoming new deputy for Bernd Leno at the Emirates.
And the Gunners are tipped to delay any bid for Norwich midfielder Emiliano Buendia until later this month, as they wait to see how the hunt for Lyon star Houssem Aouar pans out.
- Ian Tuckey
LAMP STILL BRIGHT
Tariq Lamptey is on the brink of signing a bumper new long-term Brighton contract.
Lamptey, 20, will net a big pay hike from the £14,000-a-week deal he agreed when joining from Chelsea for an initial £4m this time last year.
Ex-Chelsea defender Tariq Lamptey could still be targeted by Arsenal The rampaging right-back has been Brighton’s standout player this season with a string of eye-catching displays.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is understood to be a huge fan as he looks to overhaul his squad.
German giants Bayern Munich are also watching him closely.
So Amex chiefs are keen to get Lamptey — currently crocked — to extend a deal that runs out in summer 2023.
Arsenal are reportedly ready to make a move if they lose Hector Bellerin to Barcelona.
And with the Gunners enduring a torrid first half of the season, it would be no surprise if Arteta shakes things up this month.
- Ian Tuckey
HUGGING IS BUGGING FOOTBALL CHIEFS
Prem stars have been ordered to PRACTISE socially-distanced goal celebrations in training.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will today warn his squad to cut out the hugging.
And Manchester United ace Paul Pogba says players will ‘find another way to celebrate’ to comply with the strict new Covid rules.
Club captains and managers had meetings with PL chiefs on Thursday amid alarm over players ignoring social distancing when celebrating goals.
And the Premier League, FA and EFL have now released a joint statement warning football to ‘set the right example to the public on and off the pitch’ in helping tackle the pandemic.
West Brom boss Sam Allardyce wants MPs to stay out of football and focus instead on rolling out life-saving vaccines.
But in the ‘hugging summit’ meetings, clubs were told to toe the line – or risk the Government locking down football.
- Ian Tuckey
HIGH MARC FROM COPYING TOP THIERR
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has revealed he hangs on Thierry Henry’s every word on TV and in interviews – because he leaRns so much about his role from the legendary Arsenal striker.
Rashford said: “He was someone that I paid close detail to and he is just a wonderful footballer.
“He really knows his football as well, so I still listen to his interviews and the way he speaks about finishing.”
“When I was about 16 or 17, when I first started to play in that No 9 role, Henry was someone that I looked at because he is not a traditional No 9.
“He is someone that drifts to the left, he does things with the ball, he is just not what you would consider the traditional striker in English football.
“When I first went into the No 9 position, I knew I could never be that type of traditional No 9.
“Someone who is going to hold the ball up, win headers and do stuff like that. But I also know the qualities that I do have and what I can do as a striker.
“At the time, he was someone I looked to because I could see similarities with what I wanted my end goal to look like with the way he was playing.”
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL TARGET TARIQ TIPPED FOR NEW BRIGHTON DEAL
Brighton wing-back Tariq Lamptey is tipped to land a lucrative new Brighton deal – despite interest from Arsenal.
The England Under-21 star, 20, has so far been rewarded for his decision to quit Stamford Bridge last January for regular action with the Seagulls.
And in return he could reward the Premier League strugglers for giving him that chance by staying – at least for now.
- Ian Tuckey
MORE ARSENAL RATINGS
SUBS
Nicolas Pepe – 5
Brought on for Maitland-Niles, the Ivorian's first thought was to always go forward and beat his man.
But he ultimately failed to make an impression as just like with Aubameyang, he constantly looked to cut inside, which made it easy for Palace.
Did nothing to suggest he should be starting the next match.
Thomas Partey – 5
On for Ceballos, the Ghanaian looked strong in the middle of the pitch, though Arsenal looked more dangerous with the Spaniard on.
Eddie Nketiah – 4
Replacing Lacazette for the final ten minutes, the Arsenal academy graduate barely touched the ball.
- Ian Tuckey
MORE ARSENAL RATINGS
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – 5
The Arsenal skipper looked more lively than in previous games as he linked up well down the left channel.
But he was predictable to read for the Palace defence as they continuously stopped him from cutting inside.
Alexandre Lacazette – 4
Another player in form going into the match, the French striker struggled to get himself into the game.
Often a passenger, the former Lyon maestro made a number of runs, but was not found by his team-mates.
- Ian Tuckey
MORE ARSENAL RATINGS
Granit Xhaka – 9
Made a brilliant crunching tackle in the first half to deny Wilfried Zaha from breaking the deadlock, and again then stopped Benteke from tapping home in the second period.
His passing was yet again on top form as he effortlessly switched the ball with ease, while also playing in multiple through balls.
Emile Smith Rowe – 7
Always eager to run in behind and stretch the Palace defence, the youngster was constantly looking to make himself available.
But when he got the ball in dangerous positions, his final ball was often just short of finding his man.
While he can be proud of his performance, Arsenal need another attacking midfielder to ease the burden on the 20-year-old.
Bukayo Saka – 6
Failed to replicate the same success on the right flank than he has done in previous weeks.
Was switched to the left in the second half and whipped in a number of beautiful crosses, though no-one was there to get on the end of it.
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL RATINGS CONTINUED
David Luiz – 7
Slotting in for Pablo Mari, the experienced Brazilian didn't put a foot wrong.
Dominant in the air, and calm and composed with the ball at his feet, Luiz often drove forward in his bid to spark an attack.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles – 5
The versatile England international struggled down the left flank when going forward, as he mishit a number of crosses on his weaker foot.
Though you can't fault his desire and willingness to get forward, he just didn't pose the same threat as Kieran Tierney.
Dani Ceballos – 8
One of Arsenal's best players on the night, the midfielder often glided past Palace players as he looked to break the line.
His range of passing was a joy to behold and his close control under pressure helped the hosts make a quick counter-attack.
- Ian Tuckey
ARSENAL RATINGS VS PALACE
Bernd Leno – 6
Made a fantastic diving save to deny Christian Benteke before the break with the striker's header looking to be creeping in the bottom right corner.
Didn't have much to do in the second half as Arsenal pressed for a winner.
Hector Bellerin – 5
The Spaniard looked suspect whenever faced with a one-on-one and was slow jotting back into position.
He was also guilty of sloppy passes in the final third. Not a great showing from the ex-Barcelona academy ace.
Rob Holding – 7
Defensively solid as he mopped up countless Palace loose balls.
However he still needs to work on his passing out from the back as his cross-field switches failed to find his man on more than occasion.
- Ian Tuckey
GUNNERS RUN ENDS
Tonight's 0-0 home draw with Crystal Palace leaves Arsenal in 11th place – ending a three-game win run and also their improved play.
And boss Mikel Arteta looked as frustrated as he did post-New Year on a night of few clear chances.
Full match details and reaction HERE on our match blog.
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