Arsenal League Cup quarter-final draw creates scheduling issue | OneFootball

Arsenal’s League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace has thrown up a scheduling issue, with the Arsenal Women also playing at home that midweek.

PRESTON, ENGLAND: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Preston North End and Arsenal at Deepdale on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

After a comfortable victory away to Preston North End on Wednesday night, Arsenal made it into the League Cup quarter-final draw, which took place later that evening.

The Gunners got a home draw this time, against Premier League opponents Crystal Palace, and the game was pencilled in for the week commencing December 16th, 2024.

Yet that creates a complication, with both clubs having different restrictions around that midweek.

PRESTON, ENGLAND: Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Preston North End and Arsenal at Deepdale on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

As Simon Collings points out, Palace have a derby game against Brighton the previous Sunday, a fixture which has been selected for TV coverage.

That would seemingly make Wednesday the obvious choice for the match, but the Arsenal Women are already playing against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium that day.

It wouldn’t be unheard of for a League Cup match to take place on a Thursday, but neither club is likely to be particularly happy with that, as Arsenal travel away to Palace themselves on Saturday.

So Tuesday gives Palace a tight turnaround, Wednesday is fully booked, and Thursday gives both clubs two games in 48 hours.

PRESTON, ENGLAND: Tommy Setford of Arsenal celebrates after teammate Gabriel Jesus (not pictured) scores their team’s first goal during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Preston North End and Arsenal at Deepdale on October 30, 2024. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

For the time being, Tuesday is probably the most likely outcome, being the least disruptive of the three options. But it’s unlikely to make Palace very happy, given they’d have to travel to Brighton and Arsenal in just over two days.

Whether the EFL, the Premier League, and their broadcasters can come up with a better solution remains to be seen.