By Ian King
Current H2H report
Arsenal go into their League Cup quarter-final in opposition to Crystal Palace having received their final 4 straight video games in opposition to the Eagles, with the final assembly between the 2 golf equipment leading to a 5-0 blowout at The Emirates Stadium in January. However previous to that, their report had been considerably patchier, having received simply one in every of their earlier eight conferences, going again to October 2018.
League kind indicators
Each golf equipment have had peaks and troughs this season. There are two very other ways of deciphering Arsenal’s latest Premier League kind. On the one hand, they’re unbeaten of their final six. However on the opposite, they’ve solely received three of their final 9 matches and their final efficiency, a goalless dwelling draw in opposition to Everton on Saturday, hinted at points in entrance of purpose which can must be addressed within the January switch window.
Crystal Palace had an abysmal begin to the season, failing to win any of their first eight league video games. However they’ve solely misplaced as soon as within the League since beating Spurs in October and final day out they’d a each technically glorious and morale-boosting win 3-1 at fierce rivals Brighton.
Ex-Gunner primed to shine?
There’s one potential identify on the teamsheet which stands out greater than every other. Palace paid Arsenal £25m for Eddie Nketiah in the summertime, however he’s solely managed one purpose for them to this point, and that got here of their Carabao Cup win in opposition to Queens Park Rangers in September. The narrative absolutely calls for that he comes into the Palace group for this match and kick-starts his season in opposition to his former membership, although how probably that truly is to occur may be very a lot open to query.
Workforce Information
That is the Carabao Cup, so who’ll be taking the pitch for these two groups could be difficult even when accidents weren’t a significant component. Each Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard absences stay a critical concern for Arsenal. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu stay as injured as ever, whereas goalkeeper Neto is cup-tied and Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko each stay extremely uncertain. For Palace, Joel Ward and Adam Wharton have been within the squad for the Brighton match however whether or not they’re thrown again in for this match is open to query, whereas Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca stay injured. Count on adjustments.
And anticipate adjustments once more when these two meet within the league this coming weekend.
Prediction
An Arsenal group coming into this match off the again of one in every of their weakest performances of the season in opposition to a Crystal Palace aspect arriving off their greatest makes for a match which can turn into a good one. However objectives had been one thing of a difficulty for Palace as much as the final couple of matches, and even when it’s slightly makeshift for a match like this on this age of accidents, Arsenal’s defence has been one of the vital miserly within the Premier League and I’d nonetheless name them for a 1-0 win.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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