Crystal Palace are set to face Arsenal away at the Emirates, with the possibility of playing two games in three days in December after reaching the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has accused football authorities of being “irresponsible” as his side face the prospect of playing two games in three days. Palace reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup thanks to Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield.
However, it turned out to be a nightmare for Coach Glasner. The Eagles are scheduled to face Manchester City on Sunday 14th December, play KuPS in the Conference League on 18th December and Leeds on 21st December.
However, Palace’s quarter-final opponents Arsenal are hoping for a draw at the Emirates to take place on Tuesday, December 16th. If Arsenal have their way, Palace will play two games in three days, three in five, four in eight or five in 11.
“I can’t believe this isn’t fixed,” Glasner lamented. “That would be irresponsible for the players and we have a responsibility to them and we have to look out for their welfare, but it’s not just us at the club.
“I was really upset when I first heard about it yesterday. I couldn’t believe they were even considering something like this.”
read more: Aaron Ramsey’s nightmare in Mexico is over as former Arsenal star loses dog and cancels contractread more: Arsenal deliver brutally honest Victor Goqueres verdict as Mikel Arteta’s deadline looms
The EFL, which hosts the Carabao Cup, narrowly avoided a similar nightmare last season. Chelsea would have found themselves in the same predicament had they not lost to Newcastle on matchday four in October 2024, with the conference league now running over 10 weeks instead of six.
Unfortunately for Arsenal and Palace, a solution that will please everyone is unlikely. If the draw is postponed to Tuesday, December 23, both teams will have just over 48 hours to recover from last Sunday’s Premier League match.
“I’m really upset, but we talked about this three months ago over the summer, looking at our offseason schedule,” Glassner continued.
“There are people working on this and I would really appreciate it if they could come and talk with me.
When should the match be played? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
“We have international games, two cup competitions and the Premier League. I wish UEFA, the Premier League and the FA could talk together because it’s quite surprising. We may not have a solution right now, but we need to sort it out.”
“It would be irresponsible to play on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, but the next week we play against Leeds on the 21st (of December) and then on the 28th, so there is a solution.”
“There was a big discussion about why there was no Boxing Day (fight). Again, they fixed these matches without consulting anyone. I wish we could all talk about it, but this is their job and this is what they are getting paid.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
