PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG was sent off in VAR disgrace as Palace scrambled a battling 1-1 draw to stay above Arsenal in the table.
The Gunners captain had fired his side into a first-half lead only for it to be cancelled out by Jordan Ayew’s fluke deflected effort early in the second period.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sent off off for a rash tackle on Max MeyerCredit: BT Sport
The striker was initially booked but VAR overturned it and upgraded it to a redCredit: BT Sport
Aubameyang had opened the scoring with a sumptuous finish on 12 minutesCredit: Alamy Live News
But the striker trudged down the tunnel to a chorus of boos as he was shown red for a lunging tackle on Max Meyer which replays showed rolled the German’s ankle badly.
Ref Paul Tierney initially brandished a yellow, but after almost three minutes of review VAR Craig Pawson advised him to change it to a red.
But Roy Hodgson’s side failed to make the extra man count as Arsenal showed Mikel Arteta has instilled a resilience to his players in his time in charge.
Palace had surprised many by their displays in the opening few months of the campaign to ease themselves well clear of any relegation trouble.
But it is a good job they did so given their recent form, which had seen them win just one match from their last seven in the Premier League as well as last week’s FA Cup exit to Derby.
They started like a side starved of form and confidence, hardly able to string a sequence of passes together.
In fairness to Arsenal, some of that was down to their collective willingness to pressure Palace every time they were in possession – more sign of the development they have made under Arteta.
The Gunners were right at it from the off, and the majority of the opening half hour was pretty much played in the Palace half as the home side struggled to get out.
And it was no surprise when they opened the scoring on 12 minutes on the back of a wonderful 18-pass move.
Mesut Ozil quickened play with a lovely flick to Alexandre Lacazette who dug out a pass into the path of Aubameyang to slot into the bottom corner.
It was no more than Arsenal deserved, and for large parts of the opening half they dominated although they to struggled to create any clear cut chances.
Palace finally mustered an attempt on goal five minutes before the break when Cheikhou Kouyate stung the hands of Bernd Leno.
They were little better in the early exchanges of the second-half, but even so they managed to level thanks to a huge stroke of luck.
Jordan Ayew’s 54th minute shot struck the leg of Luiz, bounced down onto the defender’s standing leg and then looped past Leno into the far corner.
Luiz almost made amends six minutes later when he glanced a header just over the bar from Pepe’s corner.
Then came the moment of controversy as Aubameyang was shown red by ref Tierney on the advice of the VAR for a tackle which looked bad on replay but perhaps only merited a yellow.
Instead of sitting back defending the point, Arsenal poured forward looking for a winner and were so unlucky when Pepe’s shot cannoned back off the inside of the post.
Lacazette looked poised to turn home the rebound but Vicente Guaita somehow recovered to block the follow up to save Palace.
He celebrated with striker partner Alexandre Lacazaette who supplied the assistCredit: Getty – Contributor
Jordan Ayew levelled things up on 54 minutesCredit: Reuters
His effort deflected off David Luiz and looped over Bernd LenoCredit: AFP or licensors
Ayew wheeled away to celebrate his equaliserCredit: Reuters
The striker was mobbed by his teammates after levelling the London derbyCredit: Reuters
Jose Mourinho hints he needs some players in January but insists he can work with the squad he has available
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
