Before tomorrow’s football starts, the top of the Premier League table looks like this:

[Courtesy of Google]

Arsenal are still 2 points clear of second and third placed Chelsea and Liverpool, while Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are 3 points behind. Reigning Champions Manchester United are in 8th place, having amassed 11 points.

If you asked any Arsenal fan this summer, especially before transfer deadline day and securing the signature of Mesut Özil, where we’d be on October 25th, you would find it hard to find an Arsenal fan who would have said we’d be top of the league.

But that’s where we find ourselves after an excellent run of form since the opening day defeat to Aston Villa.

Tomorrow, Arsenal have the early 12.45pm kick off against Crystal Palace and before the 3pm games even start, we could be 5 points clear. And with Chelsea hosting Manchester City on Sunday then at least one of those sides will drop points. Liverpool face West Brom at home, which won’t be an easy game and Tottenham play Hull where they will be strong favourites to pick up all three points.

Manchester United have a Mark Hughes side at Old Trafford, so don’t count on Stoke getting anything from that game.

So it is vital that this weekend, especially with Liverpool next Saturday, that we win and get the three points tomorrow.

But with the fixtures coming thick and fast, will Arsene Wenger rotate too much? There’s been talk of Thomas Vermaelen starting tomorrow, as well as Nicklas Bendtner spearheading the attack and Jenkinson playing at right back.

While on paper Crystal Palace are in all kinds of trouble, they will have absolutely nothing to lose and we found it hard at places like QPR last season. A lot has been made of the strength in midfield but my fear is with too much rotation, it could come to slap us in the face.

Tomorrow’s game is massive in defining our season and setting the tone. We have Liverpool and Manchester United coming up in the league and it is vital we collect as many important points before those games.

And don’t forget, BT Sport are having a free weekend of viewing which means if you don’t have a BT Sport subscription then you can watch the Crystal Palace v Arsenal game on Sky Digital and Freeview tomorrow. For more details, click here.