The Carabao Cup quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace has been moved due to a fixture pile-up.
Palace faced the mildly ludicrous prospect of playing four games in eight days when the calendar reaches mid-December – hosting Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday 14 December before the Carabao Cup clash with the Gunners on Tuesday 16 December, a Conference League match against Finnish side KuPS two days after that and then a league game against Leeds to round off the hellish week on Sunday 21 December.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner had slated the proposed fixture schedule and claimed it would be harmful to his players.
“It’s dangerous, irresponsible to say that you should play Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday,” fumed Glasner last Friday.
Even Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta concurred with that sentiment, saying there were “much better options” than that date.
And Palace have now been given something of a reprieve, with the quarter-final being moved to Tuesday 23 December instead, as both teams confirmed.
“Crystal Palace’s Carabao Cup quarter-final away to Arsenal will take place at 20:00 GMT on Tuesday, 23rd December,” wrote Palace in a statement.
“The other quarter-finals are set to take place in the week prior, with Palace’s trip to Arsenal instead set for 23rd December to account for the Eagles’ participation in the Uefa Conference League.”
The game will be held at Emirates Stadium and kick off at 8pm. It will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports and ITV.
It means Palace face the slightly more manageable prospect of four games in 10 days instead and will enjoy the luxury of a five-day gap after the Gunners game before taking on Tottenham on 28 December.
Both sides will still have the quarter-final represent a second fixture in three days as they’re in Premier League action at 2pm on Sunday 21 December – Arsenal travelling to Everton and Palace, as previously mentioned, taking on Leeds at Elland Road.
Carabao Cup quarter-final schedule
Tuesday 16 December
Cardiff City v Chelsea (8pm)
Wednesday 17 December
Manchester City v Brentford (7.30pm)
Newcastle United v Fulham (8.15pm)
Tuesday, December 23
Arsenal v Crystal Palace (8pm)