Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace: EFL EPL Previews, odds and Predictions

Get ready for an exciting EFL match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace with our previews, odds, and predictions. Stay ahead of the game with expert insights and analysis.

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Daniel A.
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Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace: EFL EPL Previews, odds and Predictions

Wednesday night's encounter between Arsenal and Crystal Palace is the opening leg of a doubleheader at the Emirates Stadium, and a spot in the EFL Cup semifinals is on the line.

While the Gunners fought to a scoreless draw with Everton in their most recent Premier League encounter, only the Eagles came out on top, cruising past M23 rivals Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

Once again, Arsenal could not capitalize in the Premier League game, while Liverpool could not advance. The Reds' defensive prowess was too much for Mikel Arteta's squad, who had already failed to capitalize on the postponement of the leaders' Merseyside rivalry two weekends before.

A well-rested Everton side managed to annoy the Gunners to no end despite giving very little in the final third, and they were able to leave the Emirates with a draw, mainly because of an exceptional performance from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The margin over Liverpool in the Premier League is still narrow at six points, but it may grow to nine points with a victory in their next match. Meanwhile, Arteta is under fresh criticism after another concerning offensive performance from his formerly ruthless players.

So far in the EFL Cup, the Gunners have had no trouble scoring goals, as they thrashed Bolton Wanderers 5-1 in round three and Preston North End 3-0 in October, with a stunning strike from Ethan Nwaneri being the highlight.

However, Arsenal has had a rough time in previous EFL Cup competitions, losing in the quarterfinals seven out of their past ten attempts and going 31 years without winning the season's first trophy.

Crystal Palace would equal their best-ever outcome in the tournament if they beat Arteta's men at the Emirates on Wednesday, despite Arsenal's modest EFL Cup history. Their deepest runs in the League Cup include semifinal 1995, 2001, and 2012 appearances.

However, the Eagles had to overcome a top-flight opponent to reach the quarterfinals, unlike the Gunners. In round four, they stunned Unai Emery's Aston Villa 2-1 in the West Midlands after eliminating Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers.

With a justifiable 3-1 victory over bitter rivals Brighton in Sunday's Premier League 'derby,' courtesy to an Ismaila Sarr masterclass, Crystal Palace are riding high ahead of Wednesday's derby, despite a recent dip in confidence among the hosts.

While the Eagles, who are now in fifteenth position in the league, are far from safe, their win at Amex extended their Premier League winning streak to five games, and they have gone undefeated on the road in all competitions since their loss at Nottingham Forest in October.

There will be a Premier League derby between Arsenal and Palace on Saturday. If Arsenal secure their semifinal ticket midweek, they have a sixth-in-a-row chance of beating Palace. Arteta's team has won the past four encounters between the two clubs.

Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace Team News

Many were surprised when Arteta removed Declan Rice for Martin Odegaard shortly after the hour on Saturday. However, the Gunners coach later said that Rice had requested to be substituted because of an ailment, so he will likely get a break next week.

While goalie Neto is out with an injury, Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko are also questionable due to injury concerns, and Arsenal will once again be without injured players Ben White while Takehiro Tomiyasu, who was unable to play against Everton.

Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Jorginho, and Jakub Kiwior are all fringe players who should eventually get some playing time. After Myles Lewis-Skelly started the last two games, Kieran Tierney deserves a run-out.

From Crystal Palace's perspective, Daniel Munoz will serve his suspension in the Premier League rather than miss this match, and Glasner might benefit from two returns as well.

Unlike Chadi Riad (fitness) and Matheus Franca (groin), Joel Ward and Adam Wharton are still in the running to play in the quarterfinals, even though neither was on the Brighton roster for the triumph (Wharton had a little setback after surgery).

Another ex-Gunner, Rob Holding, will not face his previous squad because of disciplinary issues; nevertheless, two other ex-Gunners, Matt Turner and Eddie Nketiah, may be elevated to the starting lineup.

Our Predictions

Arsenal to win and under 2.5 goals @ 3.40 on Sky247.ng

Since the Eagles are not tied down to any European obligations, Palace coach Roberto Martínez is free to field his strongest possible team in the EFL Cup, and a composed Eagles squad has the potential to thwart a resurgent Arsenal squad.

We still expect Arsenal to score the crucial goal they need to secure a spot in the semifinals, even though the away team still has a Premier League promotion battle to focus on.

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