Overview

• Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta views the EFL Cup as an opportunity to instill belief and momentum in his team as they pursue their first Premier League title since 2004.
• The Gunners, currently third in the Premier League standings, face Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday and again in a league match on Saturday.
• Arteta has historically rotated his squad in the Carabao Cup but may field a stronger lineup given the importance he places on winning trophies this season.
• Declan Rice is expected to be available after a minor injury scare, but defenders Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori remain sidelined.
• Arteta draws parallels with managers like Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, who used early-season trophies as platforms for sustained success.