Key events
Mikel Arteta: “I think it is really helpful,” said Arsenal’s manager, upon being asked what winning the Carabao Cup would mean for his team. “It brings belief, trust and positive energy. Touching a cup generates that energy and I think it creates the right path.”
Kieran Tierney: The Scottish defender makes his first appearance for Arsenal since the 2023 Community Shield, having spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad and been laid low this season with a bad hamstring injury he suffered during Scotland’s draw with Switzerland during the European Championships.
Tonight’s match officials
VAR: A reminder that this season’s Carabao Cup does not use video assistant referees until the semi-finals.
Caleb who? Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner hands Caleb Kporha his first senior start for the club. The 18-year-old English defender’s only previous appearance for his club came as a late substitute in his side’s defeat at the hands of Fulham in November. Congratulations to him on a milestone night in his fledgling career.
Arsenal v Crystal Palace line-ups
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Kiwior, Partey, Tierney, Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino, Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling.
Subs: Setford, Saliba, Gabriel, Kacurri, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guehi, Kporha, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.
Subs: Turner, Ward, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Kamada, Richards, Doucoure, Devenny.
This just in …
While we wait for the line-ups in full, I can reveal that Mikel Arteta has made eight changes to the side that started against Everton at the weekend and hands Kieran Tierney his first start for the club in almost 18 months. Raheem Sterling also gets a rare starting opportunity for the Gunners.
Early team news
Arsenal find themselves in something of a defensive crisis, and with Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ricardo Calafiori all sidelined tonight could mark the return of the lesser-spotted Kieran Tierney for his first appearance of the season since being stretchered out of the Euros with a hamstring injury.
Having been substituted on the hour mark of Arsenal’s weekend stalemate with Everton with a niggle, Declan Rice has been passed fit but may be rested as a precaution. Fringe players Raheem Sterling, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri all seem likely to see some action tonight.
While Joel Ward and Adam Wharton are reported to be on the verge of full fitness after injuries, tonight’s match could come too soon for the Crystal Palace duo, while there are also slight concerns over the availability of Eberech Eze, who shipped a bang to the foot in his side’s win over Brighton.
Palace striker Eddie Nketiah and reserve goalkeeper Matt Turner could face their former club, although the former Arsenal defender Rob Holding remains in exile for reasons his manager, Oliver Glasner, refuses to specify.
Carabao Cup: Arsenal v Crystal Palace
While Mikel Arteta’s focus may be on more prestigious prizes, the Carabao Cup is not a competition he can afford to take lightly now his team has gone over four years without lifting a trophy. Tonight’s game is the first of back-to-back games against Crystal Palace and if he could only win one of them, the Spaniard would almost certainly prefer to take the three Premier League points on offer at Selhurst Park on Saturday evening.
Two-times winners of this competition, it seems remarkable that Arsenal last won it as far back as 1993, when they beat Sheffield Wednesday in a Wembley final most memorable for Ray Parlour’s perm and the post-match celebrations which left their match-winner Steve Morrow with a broken arm after being unceremoniously dropped on the pitch by Tony Adams.
Never having been further than the semi-finals, Crystal Palace have endured no such ignominy and while they travel to the Emirates as underdogs, their recent upturn in form means they are entitled to fancy their chances.
Unbeaten in five matches after a dire start to the season, Palace go into this game on the back of an impressive away win against their most bitter rivals, Brighton and with their relegation fears eased, if not completely quelled, this is a competition they should be going all out to win. Kick-off at the Emirates is at 7.30pm but stay tuned for team news and build-up.
