Two serious London rivals, Arsenal and Crystal Palace, will go toe-to-toe at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening in the EFL Cup quarter-finals. With a semi-final spot at stake, both teams will look to outdo each other in this exciting midweek fixture.
Match Preview: Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace
Arsenal goes into this match following an underwhelming goalless draw against Everton, with the dominance of possession and attempts. Mikel Arteta’s men failed to break down a resolute Everton defense, which saw them stay six points from leaders Liverpool in the Premier League. Success in this EFL Cup match would do just a little to bring some confidence back but will also close them further in on their 31-year wait for the EFL Cup.
So far, Arsenal’s journey has been smooth-sailing with convincing wins over Bolton Wanderers (5-1) and Preston North End (3-0). However, history has been unkind to the Gunners at this stage of the tournament when they have bowed out a record seven times in the last ten quarter-final outings.
Crystal Palace meanwhile has been in fine fettle in the EFL Cup as evidenced by a statement 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the fourth round. Confidence is high in the Palace camp after a 3-1 Premier League success against Brighton, secured courtesy of the brilliance of Ismaila Sarr.
Under Oliver Glasner, Palace has not been defeated in the last five league matches, with four of those on the road. A win against Arsenal would equal Palace’s best-ever EFL Cup run, having reached the semi-finals in 1995, 2001, and 2012.
Team News:
Arsenal
Arsenal will have some changes to their first-team lineup because of injuries and rotation:
Injuries: Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out with knee injuries, while Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori are doubtful.
Out: Goalkeeper Neto is cup-tied.
Rotation Candidates: The likes of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard will likely be rested, which means that the fringe players such as Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, and Jakub Kiwior may get a chance.
Possible Starter: Kieran Tierney may start after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s two successive starts.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney; Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino; Saka, Jesus, Sterling
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner does have one or two dilemmas to decide but the squad seems fairly consistent:
Suspended: The Premier League ban on Daniel Munoz doesn’t carry over into this match.
Injury Concerns: Returns are possible from Joel Ward and Adam Wharton while Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca will likely not feature
Key Players:
Matt Turner and Eddie Nketiah, previously at Arsenal, may figure in starting lineups for the host team.
Crystal Palace Predicted Lineup:
Turner; Guehi, Chalobah, Lacroix; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze, Nketiah
Head-to-Head Record and Form
Arsenal EFL Cup Form: WW
Arsenal Overall Form: WWWDWD
Crystal Palace EFL Cup Form: WWW
Crystal Palace Overall Form: LDDWDW
Arsenal has won their last four meetings against Crystal Palace and will aim for a fifth consecutive victory. However, Palace’s resilience and form on the road could make this derby a tricky affair for the Gunners.
Prediction
While Arsenal boasts home advantage, Palace’s recent form and victory over Brighton suggests this tie could go down to the wire. Arsenal’s depth and quality in rotation may give them the edge, but Palace is more than capable of pulling off an upset.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
