Arsenal eager to avoid defeat record stretching back to 1993 as Gunners face Crystal Palace side who hate London derbies

Arsenal host Crystal Palace this weekend, exclusively live on talkSPORT, hoping to put an end to their poor form and avoid breaking a 31-year-old record. 

The Gunners are winless in three and have lost their last two games while dropping down the Premier League table to fourth place. 

Mikel Arteta’s side were top of the league at Christmas but within weeks their season has been turned on its head and they’re now battling to stay in the title race.

A draw to Liverpool began the period of poor results before a 2-0 home defeat to West Ham was followed by a loss to Fulham. 

Losing back-to-back games against their London rivals has now left Arsenal on the brink of equalling a record that stretches back to 1993. 

They have tasted defeat in their last two London derbies which is as many as in their previous 25 such clashes combined where they won 17 and drew 6. 

And the Gunners haven’t been beaten in three derbies in a row in the Premier League since March 1993. 

Which means if Crystal Palace were to leave the Emirates with three points this weekend, Arteta’s men would equal an unwanted record. 

Arsenal will be desperate for this not to be the case and they may just get away with it, with the Eagles not enjoying derbies either. 

Roy Hodgson’s side have picked up fewer points than any other team in all-London clashes this season, only collecting six from seven games. 

Their only win in a derby came against Brentford in December and that followed defeats to Chelsea and Tottenham. 

Arsenal also won at Selhurst Park at the start of the season which will give them a boost as they look to replicate that result and return to winning ways. 

It will also increase hopes of a win to hear that Palace have only won one of their last 17 London derbies away from home. 

Their last win came away at West Ham in November 2022, since which they have drawn nine and lost seven away at their local rivals. 

So Arteta could see this clash as the perfect opportunity to regain some form and ignite his side’s title chances once again. 

A win will be expected for Arsenal but should Crystal Palace leave with the points, it will sink the Gunners to a low not repeated since 1993.