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Crystal Palace are facing a fixture pile-up that will impact Arsenal. Palace are currently due to face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. However, Palace’s involvement in the Conference League means they are scheduled to play KuPS at Selhurst Park on Thursday, December 18. Scheduling issues are further complicated by Manchester City visiting Palace in the Premier League on Sunday, December 14. A game that was recently moved by Sky Sports to a 2pm kick-off. That leaves the Carabao Cup clash at the Emirates Stadium needing to be moved - which is not considered likely - or Palace will face playing three games across five days. UEFA competition fixtures cannot be rescheduled, with the EFL having already played Carabao Cup third round fixtures over a two-week period this season to accommodate the expanded European schedule. The EFL have previously bemoaned UEFA’s failure to consult them before finalising their fixture schedule, and will now have to adjust their schedule again to ensure Palace can fulfil their commitments in the Carabao Cup and the Conference League. One suggested solution would see Crystal Palace’s home Premier League game against Leeds, and Arsenal’s league trip to Everton, both of which have been picked for Sky Sports’ coverage on Sunday, December 21, moved to allow the Carabao Cup quarter-final to be played that weekend. That could, in turn, see Everton vs Arsenal played at an earlier date, in the midweek slot alongside Carabao Cup quarter-finals, while Crystal Palace vs Leeds is pushed into 2026. Whether Arsenal would welcome a midweek evening trip to Merseyside, rather than on a Sunday afternoon, remains to be seen. Palace, who qualified for the Conference League by winning the FA Cup last season, secured their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 3-0 win away to Liverpool. Their victory at Anfield was the start of a run of four games in nine days. Palace host Brentford, AZ Alkmaar and Brighton in successive fixtures before the November international break. Meanwhile, Arsenal, who beat Palace 1-0 at the Emirates in a Premier League clash last weekend, made it eight wins in a row in all competitions with a 2-0 win at home to Brighton to secure their place in the quarter-finals. The Gunners also have a busy schedule, with three successive away trips to Burnley, Slavia Prague and Sunderland.
