Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace: 3 reasons why the Gunners only managed a draw | Premier League 2019/20

#2 Arsenal succumb to Crystal Palace’s tactics in the second half

Hodgson shuffled his tactical pack for the second half and came up trumps

Arsenal began the game well and looked on course to imposing their identity as the night went on, thereby creating a circumstance where they would’ve hoped to cruise to victory. Moreover, two early goals meant that the Gunners had the wind in their sails, making Palace’s task even more tedious.

Yet, after the break, the visitors altered their game-plan slightly and that worked a charm as the Eagles rallied to secure a hard-fought point.

Palace showed immense application to press the ball in midfield, thereby restricting the amount of time Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi and Granit Xhaka enjoyed earlier. Additionally, they were willing to bite into challenges, meaning that the game became extremely scrappy and that ultimately rid the Gunners of any passing rhythm in the second half.

Furthermore, the away side showed plenty of desire to get runners in behind the Arsenal rear-guard, a ploy that directly led to Palace’s equaliser as McArthur got goal-side of Xhaka before clipping in a delightful cross.

Xhaka's substitution in the second half and his reaction is also something that seemed to leave a sour taste in the mouth of Arsenal fans and will no doubt be discussed as the days go on.

In the past couple of seasons, the Eagles have earned themselves a reputation of rattling the established order, courtesy a combination of grit, determination and tactical astuteness.

Fortunately for Roy Hodgson's charges, all of those aspects came to the fore on Sunday, thereby enabling them to emerge from the Emirates with a point.