Palace’s European run forces Arsenal cup tie onto congested Christmas schedule
Arsenal’s Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Crystal Palace will now take place on Tuesday, December 23, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm at the Emirates Stadium.
The fixture was originally planned for the week commencing December 15, but Palace’s involvement in the Europa Conference League forced the rescheduling.
Oliver Glasner’s side play their final group-stage match on December 18, which would have seen them play four matches in eight days had the original date been maintained.
Both sides now face a quick turnaround heading into Christmas, as they each have Premier League commitments on Sunday, December 21. Arsenal visit Everton that afternoon, while Palace travel to Leeds United, meaning there will be just one full day of rest before the cup tie.
The EFL acknowledged the difficulty of the situation in a statement confirming the revised dates for all four quarter-finals.It said the league “recognises the challenge it presents to Arsenal and Crystal Palace in particular” and shared the “frustration and concern” that managers and players will feel over the congested schedule.
The statement attributed the problem to the growing European calendar, noting that the “expansion of European cup competitions and number of exclusive match nights across Europe” ahead of next season has made such fixture clashes “entirely unavoidable”.
Arsenal booked their spot in the last eight with 2-0 victories over Port Vale and Brighton & Hove Albion, while Palace edged Millwall on penalties before pulling off a stunning 3-0 win at Liverpool in the last round.
The London clubs have a long history in the League Cup, meeting five times previously. Palace won their first tie in 1970, but Arsenal famously knocked them out in the 1993 semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy.
The two sides also met at this stage of the competition last season, when a Gabriel Jesus hat-trick sent Arsenal through.
They have already faced each other in the Premier League this term, with the Gunners winning 1-0 at Selhurst Park just eight days ago.
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