Arsenal and Crystal Palace face off on Tuesday night with a place in the Carabao Cup semifinals at stake, as two London rivals arrive with sharply contrasting momentum following their weekend outings.
With Chelsea awaiting the winner in the last four, the tie carries significant importance for both sides as the festive fixture congestion intensifies.
The Gunners come into the match in a confident mood after grinding out a 1-0 victory over Everton on Saturday, a result that ensured they will sit top of the Premier League on Christmas Day.
Mikel Arteta’s side have now won three consecutive competitive matches and remain active on four fronts this season, underlining the consistency that has defined their campaign so far.
While the Carabao Cup has not always been kind to Arsenal in recent years, they have not reached the final since the 2017/18 season; their form at the Emirates Stadium offers plenty of encouragement.
A run of nine straight home wins this season highlights their strength on familiar turf, and history suggests they are well placed to at least match last season’s semifinal appearance.
Crystal Palace, by contrast, arrive searching for stability after a demanding December schedule. Oliver Glasner opted for wholesale rotation at the weekend, changing his entire starting XI for a heavy 4-1 defeat away to Leeds, a decision that backfired badly.
That result extended Palace’s winless run to three matches across all competitions, raising concerns about fatigue and cohesion within the squad.
Despite those struggles, Palace can take some confidence from their away form, having won five of their last seven matches on the road.
The Eagles are aiming to reach their first EFL Cup semi-final since the 2011/12 campaign, and Glasner will hope a more settled selection can spark a response in north London.
History, however, strongly favours Arsenal. The Gunners are unbeaten in the last eight meetings between the sides, winning seven and drawing one, including a dramatic 3-2 home victory at the same stage of last season’s competition.
