KIERAN TIERNEY has been ruled out for the rest of the season, in a huge blow to Arsenal's top four hopes.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are preparing a major summer move for Paulo Dybala according to reports.
The Argentine international has stalled on his contract negotiations with Juventus and could be heading elsewhere in the transfer window.
And Barcelona are reported to be interested in signing Gunners captain Alexandre Lacazette on a free transfer.
A move to the Nou Camp would see the Frenchman link up with former Arsenal team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
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- Kostas Lianos
Darwin Nunez alternative
Arsenal are ready to launch a move for Juventus star Paulo Dybala rather than Benfica ace Darwin Nunez in their hunt for a new forward.
The Gunners allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave for nothing in January and face the prospect of losing both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah for free when their contracts expire in June.
That has led to the north Londoners being linked with a host of strikers as potential replacements.
Nunez is the latest name that Arsenal are believed to be targeting – although he has at least a £68million price tag on his head.
However, Tuttosport claims that they will instead attempt to save millions by going for Dybala instead.
The 28-year-old will become a free agent at the end of the campaign after Juve withdrew their offer of an extension
- Kostas Lianos
Tierney injury blow reminder
Arsenal star Kieran Tierney has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Tierney will miss the rest of the season as he faces 'several months' on the sidelines.
The left-back missed Monday's trip to Crystal Palace after sustaining the injury in training. Having seen a specialist this afternoon, it is understood that the 24-year-old will now require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
While the Scotland international has definitely been ruled out of the Gunners' final nine games, he is also extremely unlikely to be fit in time for his country's World Cup play-off with Ukraine in June.
Since the 24-year-old joined Arsenal in August 2019, the Gunners have a win percentage of 51 per cent when the left-back starts, as opposed to 40 per cent when he doesn't.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES - Kealan Hughes
Morning Arsenal fans
Arsenal have been dealt a major blow with left-back Kieran Tierney expected to miss the rest of the season.
The Scotland international missed Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace after sustaining a knee injury in training.
Having seen a specialist, it is understood that the 24-year-old will now require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
Tierney is also extremely unlikely to be fit in time for Scotland’s World Cup play-off with Ukraine in June.
Meanwhile, PSV forward Cody Gakpo appears to favour a switch to the Emirates over moves to Man Utd and Liverpool should he depart this summer.
The 22-year-old told SunSport: “The Premier League is a big league. Virgil van Dijk plays there with Liverpool so I like to watch them.
“We are not the same kind of league but I think we try to look at the Prem and learn about it.
“Everybody wants to play one time in the Prem. I don’t favour one team but I like Arsenal a lot.
“I looked up to Henry when I was younger because he was a tall guy who played on the wing.”
In other news, former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry is reportedly contemplating leaving Bayern Munich this summer with several Premier League giants chasing his signature.
The 26-year-old’s contract with the Bavarian outfit is up next summer and talks between the two parties have stalled due to his wage demands.
According to Goal, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United top the list of interested parties.
And finally, Barcelona forward Memphis Depay could make a sensational return to England after being ‘seduced’ by several Premier League clubs.
Superdeporte claims the Dutchman is being courted by no less than three major sides.
Arsenal, Newcastle and Everton have all reportedly made contact with Barcelona over a summer move.
- Jake Lambourne
Bernd Leno rejects Newcastle
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno will reject interest from Newcastle and return to Germany this summer, according to reports.
The 30-year-old joined the London club in 2018 and was No1 until England’s Aaron Ramsdale arrived at the club.
According to reports by The Daily Star Arsenal are now ready to part ways with Leno for offers between £5m-£10m.
Leno’s current Arsenal deal run’s until 2023, but the Gunners could well let him leave in his bid to bag first-team football.
Newcastle are said to be interested in Leno and have earmarked Arsenal’s No2 as one of their options.
Leno is reportedly keener on returning to his homeland of Germany, where he established himself as one of the best shot stoppers in the country.
- Jake Lambourne
Gunners to return for Isak
Arsenal are looking for answers after last night’s debacle at Selhurst Park, and believe they may lie with the signing Real Sociedad striker Aleksander Isak.
And in an ironic twist, the Gunners are hoping to take advantage of the situation if Sociedad fail in their own quest to land European football.
Fichajes report (via Football.London) that Isak would be one of four players that will definitely depart San Sebastian if the Basque club slip out of the European picture altogether – having lead LaLiga in November.
The Londoners were in for Isak during the January transfer window, but were unable to complete a deal with Sociedad still fighting on all front.
The ongoing transfer saga appears to have affected the Swede’s form with the 22-year-old managing just three goals for club and country in the past five months.
- Jake Lambourne
Pay the price for Memphis
Barcelona forward Memphis Depay could make a sensational return to England after being ‘seduced’ by several Premier League clubs.
Superdeporte claims the former Manchester United flop is being courted by no less than three major sides.
Arsenal, Newcastle and Everton have all reportedly made contact with Barcelona over a summer move.
And Depay could be keen for a second shot in England after failing miserably at Old Trafford.
With Depay only signing a TWO-year deal at the Nou Camp last summer, Barca feel they may have to cash in now so they can strengthen other areas of their squad.
- Jake Lambourne
Arsenal winning Cody Gakpo race
EXCLUSIVE: PSV forward Cody Gakpo appears to favour a switch to the Emirates over moves to Man Utd and Liverpool should he depart this summer.
The 22-year-old told SunSport: "The Premier League is a big league. Virgil van Dijk plays there with Liverpool so I like to watch them.
“We are not the same kind of league but I think we try to look at the Prem and learn about it.
"Everybody wants to play one time in the Prem. I don’t favour one team but I like Arsenal a lot.
“I looked up to Henry when I was younger because he was a tall guy who played on the wing.”
- Jake Lambourne
Cody Gakpo on Prem interest
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal and Man Utd target Cody Gakpo has spoken of interest in him ahead of rumours he could depart PSV in the summer.
The 22-year-old forward told SunSport: "I try to stay focused on what I am doing now and finishing the season really well, then after that I can focus on something else.
“If I can make a step to a team who plays in the Champions League every season, of course it is my dream.
"But I still have a contract and there is a new coach coming in — but maybe there comes a club I cannot say no to.
“Maybe they won’t come and I have to stay but for now I just want to keep working on this season.”
- Jake Lambourne
Gunner get ya
Arsenal are no longer favourites to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.
Monday night's humbling 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace meant Mikel Arteta's side failed to leapfrog ahead of Tottenham in the Prem table.
The Gunners are currently fifth in the league, having fallen behind Spurs after Antonio Conte's side beat Newcastle 5-1 on Sunday.
And now a supercomputer has predicted them to stay there for the remainder of the season, and NOT qualify for the Champions League.
The final table was forecasted via an SBK algorithm, and the final result not good news for Arsenal fans.
- Jake Lambourne
Pat on the back
Arsenal should sack Mikel Arteta and replace him with club legend Patrick Vieira, reckons Piers Morgan.
The famous Gooner was left fuming last night after seeing his beloved team get battered 3-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Following the North Londoners' 2-2 draw with Vieira's Crystal Palace at the Emirates in October, the 57-year-old tweeted a photo of himself with the Frenchman, captioned: "We’ve got the wrong ex-Arsenal captain in charge. On tonight’s evidence, this is the guy we need."
After last night's shellacking, Morgan quoted his previous tweet, and added: "Deja vu."
Given improvements made this season, it seems unlikely that the Gunners would actually sack Arteta any time soon – even if they were to finish outside of the top four.
But if they did follow Morgan's wishes, we examine how they could look to set up under Vieira.
- Jake Lambourne
Up four the race
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are going head-to-head for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Antonio Conte's men currently occupy the fourth and final Champions League place after an emphatic 5-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday.
The win lifts Spurs onto 54 points with just eight games to go.
Arsenal are also on 54 points but failed to recapture fourth after an embarrassing 3-0 away defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday night.
Goals by Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha sealed a historic win for Patrick Vieira's side.
The Gunners do have a game in hand over their rivals, but having games in hand doesn't necessarily mean they'll pick up points.
Here is the run-in from now until the end of the season for both teams.
- Jake Lambourne
Tammy on potential England return
Arsenal target Tammy Abraham has failed to rule out a Premier League return despite his starring form for Roma.
The ex-Chelsea man has scored 23 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions this season.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “When I see reports linking me with other clubs it makes me feel good, it makes you feel like you’re doing something right.
“It’s a nice feeling seeing your name all over newspapers. But for me, it’s about focusing on doing my business here.
“I can keep getting linked with many clubs, but who knows what the future holds?
“Of course, I grew up in England, I’m a London boy. So maybe one day I’ll be back in the Premier League to make noise there.
“But for me right now it’s about focusing on Rome, on doing the best I can and hopefully winning these guys a trophy, which they haven’t done in many years.”
- Jake Lambourne
Unai Emery continued…
Unai Emery has also had his say on star trio Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli, who he introduced into the Arsenal first team.
He remarked: "That was the change. Saka and Smith Rowe began to play with me.
"I gave Saka his Premier League debut against Fulham, on January 1, when he was 17.
"You had to work with these young players, to replace those who were there before. Gabriel Martinelli, who arrived then too — I knew he was a player who would grow.
‘They have put together a group who are all going in the same direction, working together, showing respect.
“I knew that whoever began after Wenger, it was difficult for people to understand the changes that had to be made."
- Jake Lambourne
Unai Emery in Arsenal swipe
Unai Emery has taken a swipe at his former club Arsenal saying Mikel Arteta is "continuing what I began."
Speaking to The Athletic, he said: "Arteta is doing a good job, continuing what I began.
"He has had that patience from the fans, the patience they did not have with me. But I understand that."
Emery continued: "Five captains left in the first year, there were many changes and patience was needed. It was not an easy process. The fans did not have patience.
"[Granit] Xhaka had problems with the fans and in the dressing room where other experienced players did not understand his role as captain.
"Xhaka was an important player for me — he was a good person, very committed to his coach.
"The club was happy with me, but the fans were calling for a change, and it had to happen."
- Jake Lambourne
Morgan calls for Vieira appointment
Piers Morgan has again called for Patrick Vieira to replace Mikel Arteta as Arsenal boss.
And he also ripped into Alexandre Lacazette following the shocking 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
Gunners-mad Morgan went on a Twitter rampage on Monday night after seeing Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha put his beloved team to the sword.
And the shock result could have major ramifications in the race to finish in the top four.
Morgan, 57, dug out a tweet he posted back in October when Lacazette scored in the 95th minute to rescue a point at home against the Eagles.
That night, he captioned a photo with Vieira: "We’ve got the wrong ex-Arsenal captain in charge. On tonight’s evidence, this is the guy we need."
Yesterday, after another Vieira masterclass this season to move ninth, he retweeted himself and added: "Deja vu."
- Jake Lambourne
Premier League return for Gnabry?
Serge Gnabry is reportedly contemplating leaving Bayern Munich this summer with several Premier League giants chasing his signature.
The 26-year-old's contract with the Bavarian behemoths is up next summer and talks between the two parties have stalled due to his wage demands.
The ex-Arsenal ace has rapidly transitioned into one of Europe's best wingers – scoring 61 goals and providing 40 assists in 163 games since joining Bayern.
Although Bayern are desperate to keep hold of the winger, a gang of the continent's biggest clubs have caught wind of his fraught relationship with the Bundesliga side.
And according to Goal, via the Daily Mail, Premier League big boys Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United top the list of interested parties.
- Sam Dymond
Tierney ruled out for season
The Athletic's David Ornstein is reporting that – as feared – Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney will miss the rest of the season as he faces 'several months' on the sidelines.
The Scottish international missed Monday's trip to Crystal Palace after sustaining a knee injury in training. Having seen a specialist this afternoon, it is understood that the 24-year-old will now require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
While Tierney has definitely been ruled out of the Gunners' final nine games, he is also extremely unlikely to be fit in time for Scotland's World Cup play-off with Ukraine in June.
Since Tierney joined Arsenal in August 2019, the Gunners have a win percentage of 51% when the left-back starts, as opposed to 40% when he doesn't.
- Sam Dymond
Odegaard: Gunners will bounce back
Martin Odegaard has echoed his manager by criticising his side's performance in Monday night's defeat at Crystal Palace – and then by throwing down the gauntlet to his teammates for the remaining games this season.
Like Mikel Arteta, the Norwegian midfielder apologised to Arsenal supporters for an awful display, and promised that the players would do everything they can to ensure there isn't a repeat performance anytime soon.
“We have to look at the game, at what we did wrong, and make sure it won’t happen again," Odegaard said afterwards.
"It was a terrible game from us, from start to finish. Maybe a bit better in the last ten minutes, but in general, I think it was a really bad performance.
“A lot of things went wrong. We weren’t really strong on the ball, we didn’t win any duels and we looked a bit slow from the start. We lacked the sharpness and aggressiveness we always have.
“I think the fans were again brilliant, cheering us on, and I feel sorry for them. We have to apologise and we have got to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Hopefully next game we are back with a win.”
- Sam Dymond
Dean names Wenger as toughest manager
Retiring Premier League referee has named former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as the most intimidating manager he had to deal with during his 22 years at the top of the game.
The box-office official will hang up his whistle at the end of the season, and has been discussing some of his highs and lows as one of the most recognisable personalities in the Premier League.
And when asked for the fiercest coach that he refereed, Dean had an immediate response for BBC Sport.
“It has to be Arsene when he was at Arsenal," the 53-year-old said.
“I always found it tough, not refereeing Arsenal in general, but refereeing Arsenal when he was the manager.
“It was just his presence – he wanted the best for Arsenal all the time and if he could get any way of getting one over you he would do.
“Since he has finished football, I have seen him and he has been great. Cross the white line and everyone is different, like referees."
- Sam Dymond
Flores living the teen dream
The 3-0 mauling at Crystal Palace may have been a night to forget for most associated with Arsenal, but for one teenager it will live long in the memory.
A shortage of players meant that 18-year-old Marcelo Flores was drafted into the first team squad by Mikel Arteta, and given a place on the Arsenal substitutes' bench.
The nature of the game meant that Flores didn't make it on for his senior debut, but revealed in an Instagram post that the whole event had been a dream come true – despite the scoreline.
The Mexican international posted a picture of himself warming-up at Selhurst Park with the caption: "Unfortunate result but loved the environment and experience, COYG."
- Sam Dymond
Carra calls for calm after defeat
Jamie Carragher has told Arsenal's players and supporters not to dwell on last night's thumping at Crystal Palace, and instead refocus for the challenge ahead.
The mood at the Emirates is a sombre one this morning amid fears that the Gunners have handed the top-four initiative to rivals Spurs.
However, the club have been given a surprise rallying call from the former Liverpool defender.
Speaking after the game in his role as a pundit for Sky Sports, Carragher said: "It’s been a bad night for Arsenal, in the way they’ve lost, as much as the three points.
'But I think it’s very important that they don’t panic, and that there’s no hysteria. They’re still in a really good position, a better position than Tottenham and Manchester United, and they’ve just won five away games on the bounce.
'So, you’re talking 15 out of 18 points away from home. They’d have taken that when the six away games were coming up."
- Sam Dymond
Arsenal's Tierney to see specialist
Mikel Arteta has issued a brief update on injured duo Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey.
The Gunners boss has confirmed that left-back Tierney will see a specialist later today to assess his knee problem, but the initial fears are that the Scotland defender's season is over.
Arteta also revealed that Partey's issue is with the same knee that has previously proved troublesome for the Ghanaian.
- Sam Dymond
Gunners get ready for run-in
Arsenal fans are once again nervously looking through the fixture list after leaving the door open for rivals Tottenham last night.
Defeat for Mikel Arteta's men – coupled with Spurs' thumping of Newcastle – means that they now find themselves in fifth, and behind their rivals on a goal difference that took a swing of seven over the weekend.
The Gunners' have a game in hand on Tottenham, but their run-in is the hardest of all the clubs vying for fourth spot.
Their next five games include London derbies at Chelsea and West Ham, an away trip to Southampton, and a huge home clash with Manchester United.
And, crucially, the Premier League have now confirmed the date for Arsenal's potentially season-defining match at Tottenham. The north London derby will be played on Thursday, May 12.
- Sam Dymond
Arsenal facing anxious wait on duo
The fallout from Arsenal's monstrous Monday will continue today as the club face an anxious wait to discover the severity of the injuries suffered by key men Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey.
Mikel Arteta confirmed before kick-off at Selhurst Park that Scottish international Tierney has suffered a knee problem during training, and that the outlook was 'not good.'
The Spanish coach then had to watch on as midfielder Partey limped out of the action after a below-par performance, and admitted that his situation was also 'a concern.'
In Tierney's absence, Nuno Tavares deputised at left-back but was hooked at half-time following a first half horror show.
Still, the Portuguese's participation was ten minutes longer than on his previous appearance, when he was substituted during the Gunners' FA Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest just after the half hour mark.
- Joshua Mbu
Good morning, Arsenal fans
The Gunners suffered a huge top four set-back last night, being battered 3-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Mikel Arteta’s side got off to a terrible start when Jean-Philippe Mateta nodded home Joachim Andersen’s header to grab a deserved lead on 16 minutes.
Things got even worse in the 24th minute, when Jordan Ayew made it two.
A dreadful mix-up between Nuno Tavares and Gabriel Magalhaes allowed the Ghanaian to race in on goal from Andersen’s low pass.
Ayew made no mistake, coolly slotting past the returning Aaron Ramsdale.
The Gunners desperately tried to get back into the game in the second-half, but to no avail.
And Wilfried Zaha added gloss to Palace’s win 16 minutes from time – tucking home the resulting spot kick after he was fouled by Martin Odegaard.
The result sees Arsenal stay fifth, having been leapfrogged into the top four by Spurs on Sunday.
Arteta was without Kieran Tierney yesterday, after the Scot returned from international duty with an injury.
SunSport understands the Scotland left-back, 24, reported back for the Gunners after international duty with an issue which will likely require surgery.
Meanwhile, the Premier League FINALLY scheduled Arsenal’s postponed clash with Spurs.
The two rivals will meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday, May 12 in the third to last game of the season.
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