Mikel Arteta will want to see an accomplished performance from Arsenal when they take on Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-finals.
Arsenal fans are a bit frustrated ahead of the visit of Crystal Palace, and so will the players following another Premier League matchday that they failed to take advantage of. Even though Liverpool drew their recent two games in the Premier League, the Gunners did not have the chance to close the gap. Instead, they endured back-to-back weekends of draws.
First against Fulham, and last Saturday to Everton on home soil, Arsenal failed to break down a resilient defensive structure. Jordan Pickford played a crucial part in that stubborn performance as his key saves kept the score goalless. The Gunners are here to pick themselves up ahead of a crunch festive period, and they will have the chance to pause league matters and focus on the League Cup.
Arsenal have the chance to answer some questions, especially in the League Cup, a competition they have not won in 31 years. Moreover, they have been eliminated in seven of their last ten appearances at the quarter-final stage. Mikel Arteta has to banish this record and move past it with a win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates.
In contrast, Crystal Palace picked up form right before they met with Arsenal in the League Cup quarter-finals. Oliver Glasner’s men are unbeaten in their last five games, all of which came in the Premier League, including draws against Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester City.
A solid win in the M23 derby over Brighton & Hove Albion have brought back the belief that Glasner promised at the end of last season, with the manager now keen to do one over Arsenal. In fact, in the League Cup, Palace have never gone beyond the semi-final stage, and a win at the Emirates could match their previous feats of reaching this point back in 2001 and 2012.
Their stellar win over Brighton away from home will keep the momentum in this squad. But playing three days after that match will be the challenging part for Glasner to manage. In any case, the Eagles will come into this clash high on confidence, which will make this encounter an interesting enough London Derby for a place in the League Cup semi-final.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
Many Arsenal fans were surprised at seeing Declan Rice taken off relatively early in the second half, and Mikel Arteta has confirmed the midfielder ‘felt something’. He could be in line for a rest in midweek as the Arsenal manager will want him fit for the away clash at Crytsal Palace at the weekend.
Martin Odegaard’s substitution also sparked minor concerns, but Arteta allayed them by confirming the skipper was off due to tactical reasons. There are not any unusual fitness concerns heading into this midweek game, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu the only personnel out, alongside probably Riccardo Calafiori.
Could the cup clash be a chance to use the exit-linked Kieran Tierney, especially considering a chink of the injury problems are to Arsenal full-backs, including Oleksandr Zinchenko? Myles Lewis-Skelly has performed well, and should Calafiori and Zinchenko not return fit for the weekend, the teenager might be used from the start once more.
Arteta could also hand rests to some of his key starters while also allowing some underperformers to use this game as a platform to manage their respective form. So, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling could get starts, while Bukayo Saka, Rice, and Odegaard, alongside one of those center-backs, could use some rest for this one.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney; Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino; Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner is unlikely to follow Mikel Arteta’s lead and make wholesale changes, although there could be a few alterations in the lineup that won away at Brighton.
That may not include the backline nor wing-backs, as Trevoh Chalobah will partner up with Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi in the back three, while Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell marshall the wide roles.
Adam Wharton, Joel Ward, Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca are the absentees, while ex-Arsenal defender Rob Holding is still frozen out of the Crystal Palace first team so there is no chance of facing his former club.
One player who certainly would is Eddie Nketiah, who will likely receive a warm welcome from the Emirates crowd as he replaces Jean-Philippe Mateta in the centre-forward role. The former Arsenal striker might be the only change Glasner envisages ahead of this clash, which may see Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr feature in the attacking third for Crystal Palace.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Nketiah
Key Stats
Arsenal have won their last four matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions.
Arsenal have been eliminated in seven of their last ten quarter-final appearances in the League Cup.
Arsenal have scored at least two goals in seven of their last eight home matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions.
Arsenal are unbeaten at the Emirates this season in all competitions.
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last five games across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Eddie Nketiah
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With Oliver Glasner not expected to rotate his side at all, bringing in Nketiah might be the only change the Crystal Palace envisages for this tough quarter-final clash against Arsenal. The return of the former Gunner is the biggest story of this game, as the attacker will look to add to his solitary goal in this competition and hope it is the decisive one in this tie.
Beyond the fact that the narrative will be to prove a point to Arteta; the realistic view is to show his manager that he is worthy of a starting place. Hence, a good performance will go a long way to assert the belief that Glasner could use him with far more regularity than he currently has.
Prediction
Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have been in a good vein of form coming into this clash against Arsenal and those include performances against top teams in the league. However, the prospect of playing the Gunners at the Emirates is difficult in a lot of ways, and Oliver Glasner might not get his way here.
The Gunners might have faltered in recent Premier League games. Still, they remain a good attacking unit, capable of breaking down any defence, and Palace may come here at the wrong time when Mikel Arteta is desperate for a win. Arsenal are expected to nick the win and make their way into the League Cup semi-finals at the expense of the Eagles.