For American soccer fans, tonight’s Carabao Cup meeting at Selhurst Park offers an unusually familiar cast.
Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough have six Americans between them, creating one of (if not the most) American-flavored fixtures in English football history. Five could see the field, with only Chris Richards being rested for this fixture.
The stakes are simple: survive and advance in the English Football League Carabao Cup.
Palace enter the third round on the back of their first Premier League victory of the season, a stirring 3-2 comeback at Fulham on Saturday. It ended an opening stretch that had seen defeats at Everton and at home to Manchester City.
Middlesbrough, meanwhile, arrive in considerably steadier form. Kim Hellberg’s side have lost just once in seven matches in all competitions and have won three and drawn one of their last four. Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Queens Park Rangers moved Boro up to second place on the Championship table, while a 3-1 win at Doncaster sent them into this round of the Carabao Cup.
The head-to-head history favors Palace, though the historical comparisons are very dated. The Eagles won both Premier League meetings in 2016-17, 2-1 at the Riverside and 1-0 at Selhurst Park, before Middlesbrough gained revenge with a 1-0 Carabao Cup victory in 2018. Palace have also won five of the teams’ last six meetings at Selhurst Park.
For the Americans, Chris Richards is the most established name. The USMNT center-back started Palace’s weekend victory at Fulham but is among those expected to be rested tonight as manager Pierre Sage rotates his squad.
Zavier Gozo could have the more intriguing opportunity. The 19-year-old made his Palace debut as a substitute against Manchester City and has impressed enough to enter the conversation for a first start. Several previews have him penciled into Palace’s reshuffled lineup.
On the other side, Middlesbrough’s American quartet needs little introduction to Boro supporters. Aidan Morris remains the established USMNT midfielder and is projected to start in central midfield. Max Arfsten is expected to provide width from the wing, while Rokas Pukštas could make his full Middlesbrough debut in an advanced midfield role.
Sebastian Berhalter, who has already formed part of Boro’s growing American contingent, is not expected to start, but could likely feature off the bench.
That means up to five Americans could feauture and make their mark tonight.
While the Carabao Cup may not carry the glamour of the Premier League, an American-heavy night at Selhurst Park could provide its own kind of spotlight.
