Key events
Meanwhile in Hampshire: Southampton host Liverpool at St Mary’s in the quarter-final which kicks off at 8pm. Scott Murray will provide updates from that one…
Oliver Glasner: He asked if he could beat the team ArmoryThe Austrian said he thinks it is possible, but a caveat has been added. “They worked a few weeks ago now the injured players are coming back and their form is getting better and better,” he said.
“Of course,” he replied, when asked if he owned it in part fully. “It is the fourth quarter of the cup competition. We call each game the best team and tomorrow will be the same. If anyone is tired, let him rest.’
On Eddie Nketiah, who has scored one goal for Palace this season: “I’m pretty sure he’ll have minutes in the old season,” said Glasner. “He is ambitious and works hard. He had a very positive impact at Brighton – we took the game into more control. He wants to score and I see him every day in training.
Mikel Arteta: “I think it’s a good thing,” said the Arsenal manager, when asked what he would win Carabao Cup to be in the team. “It creates faith, confidence and positive energy. It generates that energy from the cup, and I think it’s the right path.
Kieran Tierney: The Scottish defender makes his first appearance Armory Since then, the 2023 Community Shield, having spent the last season on loan at Real Sociedad, this season being sidelined with a bad hamstring injury, has suffered through Scotland’s draw with Switzerland during the European Championships.
Tonight’s match officials
OUR: This time the commemoration of the writer Carabao Cup does not use video support until the semi-final.
Who is Caleb? Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner handed senior Caleb Kporha his first start for the club. The 12-year-old England defender’s only previous appearance for his club came as a recent substitute in his side’s defeat at Fulham in November. Congratulations to him on his nightly milestone in the runaway race.
Arsenal v Crystal Palace line-ups
Armory: Raya, Mater, Kiwior, Partey, Tierney, Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino, Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling.
Subs: Setford, Saliba, Gabriel, Kacurri, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz.
The Crystal Palace: Henderson, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi, Kporha, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.
Subs: Turner, Ward, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Kamada, Richards, Doucoure, Devenny.
Just in…
While we wait for the full line-ups, I can Mikel Arteta revealed eight changes to the side that started at Verton at the helm and Kieran Tierney made his first start for the club in nearly 18 months. Raheem Sterling also gets a rare chance to start for the Gunners.
Morning team news
Arsenal find themselves in a bit of a defensive crisis and with Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ricardo Calafiori all tonight could sign the return of the smaller spotted Kieran Tierney for his first appearance of the season since he was out of Cash with a hamstring injury.
At the hour mark, the writer of the weekend was replaced by the dockers stalemate with Verton with a niggle, Declan Rice is fit but to rest cautiously. Wing players Raheem Sterling, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri all look set to see some action tonight.
While Joel Ward and Adam Wharton are reported to be almost fully fit after injuries, the night could come sooner than later Crystal Palace two, while there were also slight concerns over the availability of Eberech Eze, who carried a knock to the foot in his side’s Brighton win.
Palace striker Eddie Nketiah and goalkeeper Matt Turner could support his former club, although the former Robo midfielder remains in exile for reasons manager Oliver Glasner refuses to specify.
Carabao Cup: Arsenal v Crystal Palace
While Mikel Arteta’s focus may be on the finer prizes, the Carabao Cup may not be contested, so he can now easily end his four-year run without a trophy. The first game of the night is back-to-back games Crystal Palace and if he could win just one of them, the Spaniard would almost certainly prefer to take the three Premier League points on offer at Selhurst Park on Saturday evening.
Two-time winners of this competition, it seems surprising that Arsenal last won it until 1993, when they beat Sheffield Wednesday in a final memorable for Ray Parlor’s goal and the post-equal celebrations that left the match-winner. Steve tomorrow with a broken arm after being unceremoniously dropped on the pitch by Tony Adams.
Crystal Palace have never endured any such humiliation beyond the semi-finals and as they head to the Emirates as underdogs, their recent turnaround in form should only fancy their chances.
Unbeaten in five matches after a rough start to the season, Palace enter this game on the back foot an impressive take away win against their fiercest rivals, Brighton and the fear of relegation having been quelled, if not completely quelled, it was a battle to win them all. Kick-off at the Emirates is at 7.30pm, but stay in mourning for the team news and build-up.