The fourth and final 2025-26 EFL Cup semi-finalist will be decided at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, when London rivals Arsenal and Crystal Palace conclude this year’s quarter-finals.
The Gunners got the better of Port Vale and Brighton & Hove Albion to reach the last eight, while the Eagles saw off Millwall and record winners Liverpool in their pursuit of silverware.
Match preview
Not a single member of Arsenal’s first-team squad were alive when the Gunners last conquered the EFL Cup – a tournament they have only won twice in their history, in 1987 and 1993 – but Wembley is now within touching distance yet again.
The Manchester City and Liverpool sides which boasted enviable squad depth have dominated the competition over the past decade, and after their £250m summer outlay, Arsenal now fit that bill, even if injuries continue to bedevil Mikel Arteta and co.
However, the North London giants have now progressed to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup for the fourth time in the last six seasons, and they have won their last two ties at this stage of the competition in 2021-22 and 2024-25, albeit while suffering a semi-final exit soon after.
Arsenal are taking a break from their pursuit of Premier League glory to challenge for a semi-final spot, a pursuit that gathered more momentum on Saturday evening with their 1-0 victory at Everton, which guaranteed they would spend Christmas Day at the top of the table.
Arteta’s men enter Tuesday’s quarter-final on a three-game winning streak in all competitions thanks to Saturday’s success, and the Premier League leaders have prevailed in an exceptional 11 of their 12 home matches this season, including each of their last nine on the bounce.
That sequence includes a one-goal triumph over none other than Crystal Palace, who were of course haunted by former flame Eberechi Eze on that October afternoon, hardly the ideal warm-up for a cup trip to Premier League champions Liverpool three days later.That sequence includes a one-goal triumph over none other than Crystal Palace, who were of course haunted by former flame Eberechi Eze on that October afternoon, hardly the ideal warm-up for a cup trip to Premier League champions Liverpool three days later.
However, a near full-strength Crystal Palace side dominated a youthful and second-string Liverpool team in that 3-0 trouncing, thus prolonging their hopes of a third trophy lift in the space of 12 months after FA Cup and Community Shield stardom.
The gruelling demands of juggling domestic and European football are now being heavily felt at Selhurst Park, though, and Oliver Glasner’s men arrive at the Emirates winless in three games in all competitions, losing both of their last two Premier League encounters.
The kids were alright for the Eagles in their 2-2 Conference League draw with KuPS, but Glasner’s refreshed first-teamers were alarmingly battered 4-1 by Leeds United on Saturday and have now let in nine goals across their last three games.
Recent history does not favour Crystal Palace either, as Arsenal memorably triumphed 3-2 against the Eagles in the 2024-25 EFL Cup quarter-finals thanks to a Gabriel Jesus hat-trick; a repeat in midweek will earn the Gunners a semi-final date with Chelsea.
Team News
It is as you were in terms of Arsenal’s fitness situation for the quarter-finals, as Arteta remains without Max Dowman (ankle), Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh), Kai Havertz (knee), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) and Ben White (hamstring) for the time being.
Even with the competition now at its business end, changes will certainly be in store, and it is not impossible to envisage Jesus – last year’s quarter-final hero – making his first start since January in place of Saturday’s match-winner Viktor Gyokeres.
Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Myles Lewis-Skelly are vying for promotion from the bench too, and there may even be a rare opportunity for Joshua Nichols, who made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers in this competition last year.
Meanwhile, Palace are suffering without Africa Cup of Nations representative Ismaila Sarr, key right-back Daniel Munoz and midfield fulcrum Daichi Kamada, who are out with knee and thigh injuries respectively.
Rio Cardines (muscle), Cheick Doucoure (knee), Caleb Kporha (back) and Chadi Riad (knee) are also out of contention for the Eagles, who must also exercise extreme caution over Jean-Philippe Mateta due to his ongoing knee injury.
Glasner may therefore demote the Frenchman for the quarter-final and offer Christantus Uche a starting role, while Walter Benitez, Borna Sosa, Jefferson Lerma and Jaydee Canvot could also benefit from some necessary rotation.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Nichols, Saliba, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Eze, Norgaard, Merino; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Richards, Guehi, Canvot; Clyne, Lerma, Wharton, Sosa; Pino, Devenny; Uche