The calendar for Uefa’s club competitions now stretches across 10 midweeks, rather than the six as it did two seasons ago, with the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League each given a standalone week for exposure.
The Conference League is also held on consecutive weeks in December, with the final round of games scheduled in the regular slot for the EFL Cup quarter-finals.
Crystal Palace are in the Conference League and have reached the last eight of the EFL Cup, where they have been drawn away to Arsenal.
A date for the tie is yet to be confirmed but it may have to be scheduled for 23 December, two days after each team plays in the Premier League.
Arsenal will then play again in the league on 27 December, with Palace back in action a day later.
In July, player representatives and world football’s governing body Fifa agreed there should be a minimum rest period of 72 hours between matches.
