Eddie Nketiah is yet to score in the Premier League for Crystal Palace since joining in the summer, but his performances have been very promising.
Nketiah has found himself in an unfamiliar role at times, with Oliver Glasner making the surprising decision to play him behind the striker, rather than as a centre-forward.
The England international arrived in the summer for around £30m from Arsenal, having been a long-term target for Palace.
The attacker was an academy product for Arsenal, and with Palace drawn against the Gunners in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, he has the perfect chance to prove them wrong, and his record in the competition will certainly strike fear into his old side.
Eddie Nketiah’s excellent record in the EFL Cup
Nketiah’s senior Arsenal debut came in the EFL Cup, and he scored within seconds of his introduction against Norwich City in 2017, ending the game with a brace in a 2-1 win.
When the striker was overlooked in the Premier League, the Carabao Cup proved to be useful as he would often tear the competition to shreds.
Nketiah has scored a remarkable 12 goals in 12 EFL Cup starts for Arsenal, Leeds United and Crystal Palace, in 16 overall appearances.
The last time he played in an EFL Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium, he scored a hattrick in a 5-1 win over Sunderland in 2021, and he will now hope to enjoy similar success with Crystal Palace against his old side.
When is Crystal Palace’s EFL Cup quarter-final tie against Arsenal?
The EFL Cup could provide a good opportunity for Glasner’s side to build some momentum and potentially reach Wembley, but they will have to beat a very strong Arsenal team to do so.
The quarter-final will take place in the week of December 17, but there remains a potential scheduling problem, which could even see the tie moved to Selhurst Park.
Nketiah will have a while to wait before he can return to the Emirates, but it is certainly a game he will be eager to start in to continue his remarkable run in the competition.
