Premier League leaders Arsenal will temporarily shift their focus from the title race to cup competition as they welcome London rivals Crystal Palace to the Emirates Stadium for a crucial Carabao Cup quarter-final tie. The Gunners, under Mikel Arteta, are enjoying a stellar domestic campaign but are now determined to advance in the EFL Cup and pursue another piece of silverware.
Match Details and Streaming Information
The highly anticipated Carabao Cup clash is scheduled for Wednesday, December 24, 2024, for fans in India. The kick-off is set for 1:30 AM IST. The battle will unfold at Arsenal's home ground, the Emirates Stadium in north London, with Stuart Attwell appointed as the match referee.
For supporters in India, the Arsenal vs Crystal Palace match will be available for live viewing exclusively on the FanCode app. This provides an accessible platform for Indian fans to catch all the action from this exciting EFL Cup fixture.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Arsenal's squad has a significant boost with the return of striker Gabriel Jesus, who is in contention for his first start since January after recovering from a serious knee injury. However, they will be without several key players due to injuries, including defenders Ben White (hamstring) and Gabriel Magalhaes (adductor), as well as midfielder Kai Havertz (knee).
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, arrives after a congested schedule involving European competition in the Conference League. They will be missing midfielder Daichi Kamada due to injury, while winger Ismaila Sarr is on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta is also likely to be rested owing to a knee concern.
Arsenal's expected lineup: Kepa, Lewis-Skelly, Nichols, Saliba, Calafiori, Norgaard, Eze, Merino, Madueke, Martinelli, Jesus.
Crystal Palace's expected lineup: Benitez, Clyne, Richards, Guehi, Canvot, Wharton, Lerma, Pino, Sosa, Devenny, Uche.
AI Predictions and Head-to-Head Record
Artificial intelligence models are overwhelmingly favouring the home side. Grok's prediction highlights Arsenal's home advantage, superior squad depth, and motivation, forecasting a 2-0 victory for the Gunners. Similarly, ChatGPT's analysis points to Arsenal's strong home form and Palace's fixture fatigue, also predicting a 2-0 win for Mikel Arteta's men.
The historical record heavily leans in Arsenal's favour. In previous encounters between the two sides, Arsenal has won 35 matches, while Crystal Palace has emerged victorious only 5 times. A total of 16 games have ended in a draw.
This EFL Cup quarter-final presents a classic clash of a top-tier team in formidable form against a resilient but fatigued opponent managing multiple competitions. All eyes will be on whether Arsenal can translate their Premier League dominance into a convincing cup performance and secure a spot in the semi-finals.
