Upcoming Matches
Crystal Palace is preparing for a demanding run of fixtures, with four matches expected within eight days. This congestion comes after their progress to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Palace reached the last eight with a 3-0 win over Liverpool and are due to face Arsenal away during the week of December 15.
Match Schedule
- December 14: Home match against Manchester City in the Premier League;
- December 16: Carabao Cup quarter-final vs Arsenal (tentative);
- December 18: European match (opponent to be confirmed);
- December 21: Away match against Leeds in the Premier League.
The date of the Carabao Cup tie is still uncertain. Discussions continue, and no free midweek slots remain. One possible solution is rescheduling the tie to December 23, just 48 hours after the Premier League fixtures for both Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
Arsenal’s Advantage
Arsenal will have an extra day of rest, as they are scheduled to play Wolves at home on December 13 before meeting Crystal Palace.
Oliver Glasner’s side, coming off a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, faces a packed period. They have Premier League and European matches each midweek until Christmas. Early January is also full, leaving no room for rearranged games.
January Schedule
- Premier League midweek fixtures until January 6;
- First legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals in the week of January 13;
- European knockout stages beginning in February, followed by second legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals on February 2.
The overlap of these competitions adds further strain, especially since Arsenal will also take part in European knockout fixtures during this period.
Because of this, moving two Premier League matches to open a weekend date for the Carabao Cup seems unlikely. Clubs have faced similar challenges before. In 2019, Liverpool were forced to use two separate squads within 24 hours due to scheduling issues. In 2020, Spurs also experienced disruptions, with matches postponed during Covid-19 protocols.
In summary, Crystal Palace’s upcoming fixture congestion presents a major challenge as the club enters a critical stage of their season.