Arsenal missed the chance to break into the top three as Crystal Palace confirmed another season of Premier League football with a 3-2 win at Emirates Stadium.

A five-goal thriller in north London brought Roy Hodgson’s men their fourth win in five PL away matches as they held out to see off Arsenal’s fightback.

Palace took the lead on 17 minutes when Christian Benteke scored on his 200th Premier League appearance, Christian Benteke was gifted a chance by the deft boot of Luka Milivojevic, whose cross from distance glided over the Arsenal defence and onto the head of the Belgian frontman, who buried the ball adeptly – the exact marksman needed in the perfect situation.

Alexandre Lacazette played in Mesut Ozil to equalise two minutes after the restart.

But Wilfried Zaha restored the visitors’ lead when a lapse of concentration from Shkodran Mustafi allowed Wilfried Zaha to dart around him into the area and beat Bernd Leno one-on-one after a Benteke flick-on.

James McArthur extended Palace’s lead on 69 minutes as the Gunners failed to clear a corner from Milivojevic, leaving McArthur with the simple task of heading home from close range.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang took matters into his own hands to reduce the arrears, finding the bottom corner after a driving run forward, when the ball deflected back to him on the edge of the area.

There were still 15 minutes for Arsenal to find an equaliser, and should have scored it late on, only for Iwobi to shoot tamely at Guaita from a good position.

But the Eagles held on to move up to 12th place with 42 points.

Arsenal remain fourth, a point behind Tottenham Hotspur, and level on 66 points with Chelsea, who could themselves go third with a win against Burnley on Monday night.

Photo Credit: premierleague.com