Amidst a busy December fixture list, Arsenal return home to face Crystal Palace in a midweek EFL Cup quarterfinal tilt on Wednesday.

While this would normally be a place for a team with a busy schedule to rest players and give budding young stars a look, it remains to be seen how hard Arsenal will push for EFL Cup results at this stage, given they are now six points plus a game back in the Premier League title race.

With such a gap midway through the year, competitions other than the league could gain additional priority as a chance to secure silverware in an otherwise difficult season domestically.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, have managed to prove troublesome for certain clubs across the English landscape this season. While they sit 15th in the Premier League table, they are unbeaten in their last five league games, with two wins and three draws, and they knocked off Aston Villa in the EFL Cup Round of 16.

With these two teams set to play again at Selhurst Park on Saturday in Premier League play, the first meeting will be in Cup competition.

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Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace prediction, odds

The Sporting News football betting expert Kyle Bonn shares his best bets, props, and high risk/high return fliers for some of the biggest matches in the sport each week. Since the start of 2024, his three-way moneyline predictions have hit 55% of the time, generating a profit of over 50 units thus far.

• Moneyline lean: Crystal Palace (+550 on BetMGM)
• Score prediction: Arsenal 1-2 Crystal Palace
• Best bet: Crystal Palace double chance (+160 on BetMGM)

Crystal Palace are no easy out given their form over the past few weeks, and Arsenal have just not been the unbeatable team they were expected to be at the start of the season. The Gunners defense has been strong, but they have not finished well in front of goal and aren’t beating teams at a title-winning clip.

Mikel Arteta may wish to prioritize Cup competitions given how the Premier League title race is going, but he will know that a top four battle is still of paramount importance, and the EFL Cup may not take the same importance.

To support this theory, there’s been some surprising late line movement towards Palace in the hours before kickoff, with their moneyline odds shifting below 6/1 and more towards 5/1, indicating the market believes there’s value in backing the underdogs.

Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace match facts

• Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024
• Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. local (2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT)
• Location: Emirates Stadium (London, England)
• Referee: Andy Madley
• Last meeting: Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace (Jan. 20, 2024 | Premier League)

MORE: How to watch Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace in EFL Cup quarterfinals

Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace best bet

• Pick: Both teams to score — Yes
• Odds: -115 (BetMGM)

Crystal Palace are as well positioned to breach the Arsenal back line as most mid-table teams in the English top flight, and nearly even-money odds for them to find the net present value. The Eagles have found the net in five straight Premier League games, and even in games they don’t, they get either a high shot total or a strong expected goals return.

Additionally, it’s likely that Arsenal rotate their squad at least a little, given their fixture congestion over the next few weeks, which would present a slight swing in talent disparity towards Palace.

Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace prop bet

Crystal Palace might not have many opportunities in front of goal, but if they do, it will likely come off the feet of their rising playmaker Ismaila Sarr. While Eberechi Eze used to be the creative force behind much of Crystal Palace’s attacking output, but he has not looked himself this season, with just one goal and two assists.

Sarr has emerged to fill that gap, with three goals and two assists in just the last five Premier League games. His involvement in front of goal has risen significantly over the last month, ripping off five shots against Brighton last time out and reaching the two-shot mark in five of their last eight league games.