Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has described Arsene Wenger as one of the great managers ahead of their Barclays Premier League match-up on Sunday.
Palace take on Arsenal at Selhurst Park hoping to extend a poor start to the season for the Gunners, who suffered a shock defeat to West Ham on the opening weekend.
Pardew and Wenger have not always enjoyed a harmonious relationship.
The pair clashed on the touchline in 2006 when Wenger took exception to Pardew celebrating a last-minute winner for West Ham, and Pardew has also criticised the Frenchman for failing to promote English players.
The Eagles boss, however, insists those disagreements are now firmly in the past and praised Wenger's lasting contribution to the Premier League.
"On the touchline we all have run-ins - we've both been in this game a long time," Pardew said.
"In my opinion he is one of the great managers, absolutely. I don't think we'd ever seen the type of football played in the Premier League before Arsene.
"He definitely educated coaches and managers in this country on the beauty of possession.
"He's a very brave manager to play the way he does week in, week out and stick to the principles he has.
"Of course, at the level he's at, winning is of paramount importance.
"In the last couple of years he's been under pressure. Those FA Cup wins (2014 and 2015) have cemented his position and given him the chance to win the league this year."
Palace have not beaten Arsenal since October 1994, but the Eagles are in confident mood after victory against newly-promoted Norwich last weekend.
"It makes a different kind of statement about this season if we beat them," Pardew said.
"We need to play our game. Our performance at Norwich was below our best.
"We were still very good at times and that's what we can do - we're very good at moments in the game and some of those moments can put us in the driving seat.
"We want more control this year of games and that will be something that will be interesting to see - whether we can wrestle control from teams like Arsenal."
Wenger is under no illusions about the challenge facing his side and believes this season will show the depth of quality in the top flight.
He said: "It will certainly be a tighter and tougher league because the quality of teams in the lower half of the table has improved.
"What gives you a good indication is if you look at the bench of the team you play against. Now, when you look at the teams in the second part of the table and you look at their bench, it indicates that you will have tough games."
Olivier Giroud remains confident he can prove himself the right man to lead Arsenal's attack.
The France international has again seen his position come under scrutiny as the Gunners have been linked with a big-money move for Karim Benzema from Real Madrid.
However, 6ft 3ins frontman Giroud - who netted 19 goals last season despite being out for three months with a broken leg - has no doubts he has what it takes to spearhead Arsenal's title challenge.
"I showed great mental strength last year and I had good stats," said Giroud, whose injury-time strike settled a 4-0 FA Cup final victory over Aston Villa at Wembley.
"I always try to improve myself so yes, I am sure I can bring something more to the team and to my team-mates."
After an opening day to forget, the 28-year-old accepts things must improve if Arsenal are to get a positive result at Palace.
"Unfortunately we have made mistakes we will learn from them and try not to do it again," he said.
"We can succeed to play our game, we want to bounce back on Sunday."
Giroud believes Wenger's current squad do have what it takes to mount a serious title challenge.
He added: "When you want to win the league it is always a mix of skill and mental quality, technique and tactical.
"You cannot win the league without mental strength, so obviously we need that and I think we have got it in our squad, the team is fantastic, like our understanding between us. I think we can do well with that."
Full-back Hector Bellerin should return to the Arsenal squad after a thigh strain and Chile forward Alexis Sanchez could start having stepped up his training this week after an extended break, but forward Danny Welbeck is not yet fit due to a knee problem.
Palace striker Marouane Chamakh is unlikely to face his former club as he is still recovering from a hamstring problem while goalkeeper Julian Speroni is also out with a finger injury.
Source: PAR
