ARSENAL and Crystal Palace are facing a Carabao Cup fixtures nightmare – because there is NO space in the calendar to play their quarter-final tie.
But it could mean Oliver Glasner’s Eagles being “rewarded” for their thumping win at Liverpool by having to play four games in just EIGHT days.
The last eight ties are scheduled to be played in the week beginning December 16.
Palace, though, are due to play Finland’s KuPS in their final Conference League initial round game on Thursday December 18, four days after hosting Manchester City in the Prem.
The Christmas programme means there are no free midweek slots available to play the Emirates game before the scheduled semi-final first legs in the week of January 13.
With Arsenal’s final two Champions League first stage openers occupying the remaining midweeks of the month, EFL chiefs are running out of options.
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And it could see Palace ordered to travel to the Emirates on Tuesday December 16, adding up to three matches in five days and four in eight altogether.
The EFL has already begun discussions with the two clubs, police and Premier League to try to find a solution.
EFL bosses are aware that forcing Palace to play a series of back to back matches with no time to train between games would be a bad look and damage the integrity of the competition.
Arsenal are due to host Wolves on December 13 but moving that game back to “equalise” the Carabao Cup equation is unlikely to find favour with Mikel Arteta or Gunners chiefs.
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Prem bosses could agree to the two sides’ top flight matches on either that weekend or the preceding one – when Palace are at Fulham and Arsenal travel to Aston Villa for a Saturday lunchtime kick-off on TNT Sports – being postponed to allow the cup tie to be staged.
But that would cause issues with broadcasters and also lead to fixture congestion later in the season.
No decision has been made at this stage with discussions continuing, although the EFL wants to make a final call in the coming days.
Arsenal booked their place in the next round of the competition with a comfortable 2-0 win over Brighton.
Ethan Nwaneri had netted the opener in the second half before Bukayo Saka doubled the home side’s lead in the final 15 minutes.
Arsenal secured the win while starting 15-year-old Max Dowman and Andre Harriman-Annous.
Palace, meanwhile, secured their passage with an incredible 3-0 win over Premier League champions Liverpool, who finished the game with ten men.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot had made 10 changes from their loss to Brentford last time out as a Ismaila Sarr brace and one from Yeremy Pino wrapped up a famous win.
