Celebrity Fan Web – Crystal Palace is facing an intense fixture schedule after reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. Following their 3-0 victory over Liverpool on Wednesday, Palace earned a spot in the last eight of the competition. Their next challenge will be an away tie against Arsenal, scheduled for the week beginning 15 December.
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However, the fixture pile-up presents a real challenge for manager Oliver Glasner and his squad. The club is already set to host Manchester City in the Premier League on 14 December. Just days later, they will play KuPS at home in the Conference League on 18 December. The following match will see Palace travel to Leeds for another Premier League fixture on 21 December.
With such a tight schedule, Crystal Palace’s Carabao Cup quarter-final match is likely to take place on 16 December. This adds another match in just eight days, significantly increasing the workload for the team. The EFL (English Football League) is still in discussions with stakeholders and clubs to determine the best way to accommodate this match. However, it seems there is no other midweek slot available, unless the fixture is moved to Tuesday, 23 December. This would give both Palace and Arsenal just 48 hours’ rest between their Premier League matches.
Fixture Congestion and Potential Solutions
Arsenal will get an additional day of rest, as their Premier League match against Wolves is set for 13 December. The ongoing fixture congestion has caused difficulties for both teams, with the Carabao Cup draw adding further complexity. Notably, Palace’s busy schedule is compounded by commitments in both the Premier League and the Conference League throughout December. This pattern continues into January, with no midweek breaks available for the team.
The Premier League has a midweek round of fixtures scheduled until 6 January, with the first legs of the EFL Cup semi-finals following the week of 13 January. This leaves little room for rescheduling Palace’s Carabao Cup match. Furthermore, Palace’s quarter-final opponent, Arsenal, will also be involved in midweek Champions League fixtures in January. This complicates the scheduling even further, as both clubs have limited flexibility.
Given the tightness of the schedule, it is unlikely that the Premier League would move fixtures to make room for the Carabao Cup match. Previous instances, such as Liverpool in 2019 and Tottenham in 2020, show the difficulties clubs face with such congested calendars. In 2019, Liverpool fielded different teams within 24 hours for the EFL Cup and the Club World Cup. Similarly, Tottenham was forced to cancel their EFL Cup match with Leyton Orient after several players tested positive for Covid-19.
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As the fixture congestion continues, Palace will need to navigate these challenges carefully. The club’s ability to manage player fitness and rotation will be crucial to handling this demanding period. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how the club handles this intense stretch of matches in December and January.