The party atmosphere is set to take over Selhurst Park this Sunday, but the Premier League points are merely a secondary storyline. When Crystal Palace host Arsenal on the final day of the 2025/26 campaign, both sides will be using the 90 minutes as a dress rehearsal for monumental European finals awaiting them next week.
For Arsenal, Sunday marks the end of a 22-year wait. Martin Ødegaard will finally lift the Premier League trophy at full-time, capping off a historic domestic campaign before the Gunners head to Budapest to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. For Palace, the match serves as a farewell to arguably their greatest-ever manager, Oliver Glasner, before the Eagles fly to Leipzig to contest the UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano.
Here is your comprehensive preview for a celebratory, yet highly consequential, final day in South London.
The Gunners: A Lap of Honour and a Double Dream
Mikel Arteta’s side officially broke the Manchester City monopoly in midweek, securing the Premier League title after three consecutive years of painful second-place finishes. Having amassed 329 points alongside City over that period, the Gunners’ relentless consistency has finally been rewarded.
However, Arteta is refusing to let his squad lose their edge. With the Champions League final looming just six days later, the Spaniard is demanding his players maintain their elite standards. “We want to have the parade with two trophies!” Arteta declared to the press. “On Sunday, we’ll have a little window to celebrate, to lift the trophy in a manner that it deserves… But then we have six days that we need to write a new history in this football club.”
Arsenal have been practically invincible on the final day of the season. They have won their final Premier League game in each of the last 14 campaigns, with their last Matchday 38 defeat coming way back in 2004/05 against Birmingham City. Furthermore, the Gunners are chasing a slice of club history: a win-to-nil on Sunday would be their 30th across all competitions this season, equalling a club record set in the iconic 1970/71 campaign.
The Eagles: Glasner’s Farewell and the Conference League Pivot
Oliver Glasner’s remarkable two-year stint at Selhurst Park is coming to an end, but the Austrian has already cemented his legacy. Having delivered the club’s first-ever major trophy (the FA Cup) and the Community Shield, he is now just 90 minutes away from European glory against Rayo Vallecano.
Consequently, Palace’s domestic form has fallen off a cliff. The Eagles have won just four of their last 25 domestic fixtures and are winless in their last six Premier League games, currently languishing in 15th place. However, the underlying metrics suggest they have been incredibly unlucky, sitting 8th in the expected goals (xG) table.
Glasner has confirmed he will use Sunday’s match as a final audition for his players ahead of Wednesday’s Conference League showpiece. Expect heavy rotation throughout the 90 minutes as the manager looks to utilize his full allocation of substitutions to protect his key assets while keeping match fitness high.
Players & Match Officials to Watch
- Crystal Palace’s Form Man: Ismaïla Sarr has been electric. The winger has scored eight goals in his last eight starts across all competitions, finding the net in each of his last four.
- Arsenal’s MD38 Specialist: Gabriel Jesus relishes the final day of the season. The Brazilian boasts the most Matchday 38 goal involvements of any current Premier League player (five goals, two assists) and will likely be handed a start as Arteta rotates his squad.
- The Referee: Farai Hallam will take charge of just his fifth career Premier League fixture. Interestingly, the Surrey-based official has not brandished a single red card in any of his 32 matches across all competitions this season.
Team News & Predicted Lineups
Crystal Palace
The hosts are nursing several defensive knocks. Chris Richards (ankle) is fighting a desperate battle to be fit for the European final, while Maxence Lacroix and Chadi Riad withdrew early against Brentford with minor concerns but are expected to be available. Former Gunner Eddie Nketiah (hamstring) and Cheick Oumar Doucouré (knee) remain sidelined, but Borna Sosa has recovered from a muscle issue.
Arsenal
In a massive boost for Arteta ahead of the Champions League final, Mikel Merino has finally returned to training after five months out following foot surgery. However, Jurriën Timber remains out as he targets a return against PSG, and Ben White is sidelined with knee ligament damage. With the title wrapped up, expect Arteta to shuffle his deck heavily, potentially handing minutes to highly-rated teenager Max Dowman.
Team | Predicted Starting XI |
Crystal Palace | Henderson; Canvot, Lacroix, Riad; Muñoz, Lerma, Hughes, Devenny; Johnson, Pino; Strand Larsen |
Arsenal | Raya; Mosquera, Nørgaard, Gabriel, Hincapié; Dowman, Zubimendi, Eze; Madueke, Gyökeres, Martinelli |
Prediction: Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal
While Crystal Palace have a phenomenal record of never losing their final home league match as a top-flight side (W8 D4), the momentum heavily favours the newly crowned champions. Arsenal boasts a formidable away record at Selhurst Park, winning their last three visits by an aggregate score of 8-1. With both managers resting key legs and avoiding unnecessary risks ahead of their respective European finals, expect Arsenal’s superior depth to shine through. A routine 2-0 victory will allow Arteta’s men to equal their all-time clean sheet record before lifting the Premier League trophy in front of a jubilant away end.
