EXTRA OLI DAY IS A GIFT FOR BUSY PALACE

OLIVER GLASNER has handed his busy Crystal Palace players a Santa-shaped sweetener to ease their hectic schedule - Christmas Day off.

- BY JASON MELLOR

The Eagles return to action for the third time in six days tonight as they go head-to-head with Arsenal for a Carabao Cup semifinal spot, with Chelsea awaiting the winners next month.

Glasner's FA Cup holders are fighting on four fronts this season and the trip to the Emirates will be their 29th game in a little over four months.

The Austrian insists his troops would never complain about their packed fixture list - despite looking leggy in Saturday's 4-1 hammering at Leeds less than two days after Thursday's UEFA Conference League game.

The Palace manager (right) believes his players would rather play matches - and has handed them a 48-hour pass after facing the Gunners as reward for their efforts.