‘Twas two nights before Christmas,
and all through the grounds,
the supporters are hoping
there’s silverware to be found…
Arsenal welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates for a Carabao Cup London derby as
the clubs face off in the quarterfinal round of the domestic cup competition with the Gunners looking to leave a win under the tree for the fans and coals in the stockings of their opponents.
The holiday fixture list is surprisingly sparse with only one Boxing Day match on deck. Nevertheless, Tuesday brings the gift of a cup tie at the Emirates and a chance for the Gunners to secure a not only a fourth consecutive win across all competitions, but a spot in the semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Opinions are divided on how seriously Arsenal should take the Carabao Cup. Its pedigree pales in comparisons to the other accolades Arsenal are striving for this season, but trophies are hardly something to turn your nose up at. A win on Tuesday means at least two more matches with the cup’s unnecessary two leg semi setup, and health hasn’t exactly been on the Gunners’ side this season. With Chelsea’s band of shin kickers awaiting the winner of Tuesday, it’s fair asking if another 180 minutes of an MMA bout disguised as a football match are worth it.
With bigger fish to fry, will the Gunners show up and show out as one final Christmas gift, or will they phone it in before the holiday?
Here are three talking points ahead of Tuesday’s quarterfinal cup tie:
Know the Enemy
Crystal Palace enter Tuesday’s quarterfinal match after having defeated Liverpool in the 4th round of the Carabao Cup.
The Eagles started off the season looking like one of the dark horses for a European spot after winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, but things have cooled considerably for the London side. Coming to the Emirates on the back of a three match winless run, including a 4-1 loss away to Leeds on the weekend, Oliver Glasner’s future with the club faces uncertainty, as he has yet to sign an extension with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.
Like too many sides at this stage, mounting injuries and the December fixture slog have contributed to their downturn. Their PL form has been streaky, and their Conference League campaign has been surprisingly poor after finishing the league phase in 10th place. After their 2-2 draw at home against Finnish side KuPS Kuopio (yes, that is a real club) on Thursday, they now face a playoff round, adding even more matches to their fixture list.
They come to the Emirates missing up to six injured players on Tuesday, as well as Ismaila Sarr who is absent due to AFCON duty. It’s not an ideal circumstance by any stretch, and their depth will be tested into the new year with many of their injured players out until January at the earliest.
Tuesday will be a telling sign of their aspirations. Silverware for clubs like Palace are always at a premium, but with so many players out, will they see England’s secondary cup competition as surplus to demands?
Injuries & Suspensions
Sunday was a roaring success in the health department, as Arsenal did not pick up any new knocks or injuries during their win away to Everton. The extra week of rest no doubt helped.
OUT: Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle), Ben White (hamstring), Kai Havertz (knee)
Predicted Lineup
Attack: Martinelli, Jesus, Madueke
The Gunners should be able to field a fairly rotated side on Tuesday, especially now that Gabriel Jesus is fit. Gabriel Martinelli has been much better in cup ties than in the Premier League this season, so hopefully he can recreate some of his Champions League form on Tuesday. Jesus loves a match against Crystal Palace, and he has looked more and more like his old self since returning to the side after his lengthy ACL recovery and would no doubt be given a massive reception from the fans in his first start since returning to action. Noni Madueke was an unused sub on Saturday and will be fresh and primed to show out like he did against Club Brugge.
Midfield: Merino, Nørgaard, Eze
Like the attack, expect heavy rotation. Mikel Merino hasn’t gotten many chances to start in the midfield this season, but he likely gets that chance midweek. Christian Nørgaard’s last appearance came as a defender, but he should spell Martin Zubimendi, who has featured in all but three of Arsenal’s matches this season (two of which came in the Carabao Cup). Eberechi Eze has been in a bit of poor form since his hat trick against Spurs and will no doubt be eager to remind the gaffer of his quality.
Defense: Lewis-Skelly, Hincapie, Saliba, Timber
Arsenal don’t have many options to play around with in the defense, so a few of the familiar starters will be in the lineup. Myles Lewis-Skelly gets a start as the lone rotated player, with Piero Hincapie, William Saliba, and Jurrien Timber all reprising their roles as they wait for a few injured players to return.
Keeper: Kepa
Kepa Arrizabalaga has done admirably in his limited appearances and is the clear starter for the Carabao Cup. Let’s hope he isn’t too rusty as he hasn’t featured since the end of October.
Arsenal get to play with a bit of house money on Tuesday. The Carabao Cup is the lowest priority among their campaigns, and no one is going to be particularly chuffed if it comes to a close on Tuesday. But few things are more beneficial for a side’s confidence like winning, and a win on Tuesday could be another shot in the arm as well as another step toward the legacy they are attempting to build this season. Knowing Mikel Arteta and the players, they won’t take a chance to play for some long overdue silverware lightly.
WHO: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
WHAT: The EFL Carabao Cup quarterfinals
WHEN: Tuesday, December 23rd, 3:00pm EST/12:00pm PST/8:00pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming on the Paramount+ app
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