EFL Cup: Semi-Final Prize for Arsenal or Palace

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace

Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace makes the trip up to North London on Tuesday night to take on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in a tasty EFL Cup quarter final.

The other three semi-final spots were settled last week and Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United are already in the pot, which will be made up of the victor of this pre-holiday London knees-up!

Arsenal are top of the Premier League at Christmas and are the favourites to reach a third EFL Cup semi-final in six seasons, though they haven’t made it to the final since 2018. The Gunners face the 2025 FA Cup winners and, after also winning Community Shield success the Eagles have a taste for silverware. Both teams have a busy schedule and were in Premier League action on Saturday night, Arsenal winning 1-0 away to Everton while Palace took a thumping at the hands of Leeds United.  

The EFL Cup 2025 betting odds say we’ll see Arsenal join the other big guns in the last four, but Palace have become used to upsetting the odds in recent times so we should be in for a Christmas cracker.

 

Talking Points

Will Arteta turn to Jesus?

Arsenal have struggled to find a proven goal-scorer in recent seasons though they have got a little closer this season with the signing of Swedish hit-man Viktor Gyokores. The former Sporting Lisbon man has shown plenty of evidence as to why the Gunners were keen on him with his powerful running, incisive movement and finishing ability. Gyokores scored the winner against Everton with a clinically taken penalty, his first league goal since Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Burnley last month.

Last season Arteta relied on Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus and Germany international Kai Havertz, as well as former Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino for goals. But Jesus and Havertz have both suffered lengthy lay-offs so it was good news for Gunners fans when the Brazilian came off the bench against the Toffees and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start at the Emirates on Tuesday. Gabriel Martinelli also made an appearance and he will be hoping for a place, as will former Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.              

 

Are Eagles finally showing signs of fatigue?

It has been an incredible year for Crystal Palace, picking up their first major trophy in their history and following that up by beating league champions Liverpool in the season curtain raiser. The Eagles started this campaign well too, riding high in the Premier League, enjoying life in European competition and putting in a good set of EFL Cup 2025 results along the way. But, after winning their first three games of this month the wheels seem to have fallen off over the past couple of weeks, losing 3-0 at home to Manchester City, drawing with European minnows KuPS Kuopio and then suffering a 4-1 humiliation away to Leeds United.    

Palace have played six games in 18 days so far this December and while the Gunners have played five over that time, Arteta has a bigger squad to choose from, and more experience of balancing multiple priorities. And the Eagles, who looked very leggy against Leeds, are getting stretched too. Forward Ismaila Sarr has set off to the African Cup of Nations to join Senegal while main striker Jean Phillipe Mateta has been carrying a knee injury and winger Daichi Kamada is out for the next few weeks.

Eddie Nketiah looks likely to start against his former club and wide man Yeremy Pino will also feature, but France star Mateta may well start on the bench.   

 

History

Arsenal have won 18 of the last 30 meetings between these two clubs with Palace managing just three wins and there have been nine draws.

At the Emirates Arsenal have won ten to Palaces’ one while there have been five draws, and when the two teams met in October the Gunners won 1-0 as Eze scored against his old mates; and in last year’s EFL Cup the Gunners beat the Eagles 3-2.

With four wins, one draw and one defeat from the last six games Arsenal have the edge on form while Palace have won three, drawn one and lost two of their last six. And Arteta’s men have won their last nine games on home turf.   

 

Betting Tip

Arsenal are the hot favourites at a SBOTOP price of 1.55 to see off the South Londoners who are out at odds of 7.00, with the draw priced at 3.80. A 2-1 win is available at 7.50 and I’m confident that we’ll see goals…and a Gunners success.   

   

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