‘We showed we were anything but tired’ – Will Hughes reflects on Palace’s Arsenal exit

Will Hughes insisted Crystal Palace proved fatigue was no excuse after pushing Arsenal all the way in a dramatic Carabao Cup quarter-final at the Emirates Stadium.

The Eagles were eventually knocked out on penalties, but Hughes believes the performance — particularly after the break — showed Palace’s growing resilience during an intense run of fixtures.

The tie marked Palace’s 28th match of the 2025/26 season and their third game in three different competitions in the space of six days. Yet rather than fading, Palace grew into the contest and earned a deserved 1-1 draw inside normal time against Arsenal.

“Disappointment, obviously,” Hughes admitted. “Going out on penalties is not nice.

“I think we were a bit sloppy in the first half. We rode our luck at times, but managed to get ourselves into it late in the second half.”

Despite the demanding schedule, Hughes rejected any suggestion tired legs played a role.

“It’s easy to say it’s down to tiredness, but you look at the second-half performance and we were anything but tired. We came into the game stronger as it went on.”

Hughes believes the volume of matches Palace have faced this season is historic for the club.

“You know, it’s unprecedented how many games we’ve played in the season,” said the midfielder.
“For Crystal Palace, I think it’s a first in our history.

“We’ve gone quite far in all the cups so far, with the FA Cup still to come.”

That run has tested squad depth, but Hughes feels it is also building belief within the group under Oliver Glasner.

Hughes entered the contest in the 75th minute after Chris Richards was forced off injured and spoke candidly about the challenges of being a substitute in high-intensity matches.

“Everyone thinks you’ve got all the energy to come on, but getting your second wind when the intensity is that high is difficult,” he said.

“You have to catch it as quick as you can, get up to the pace of the game and switch on. That’s what we’re there to do — impact the game in any way we can.”

Hughes also stepped up during the shootout, continuing his perfect personal record from the spot — even if it wasn’t enough to send Palace through.

“I think people are surprised I took a penalty!” he laughed. “I think I’m four for four. I wouldn’t say I’m the first to take one, but in a shootout, I’m always confident.

“The quality of penalties was top from both teams. It was going to take something like that to separate us, unfortunately.”

While the Carabao Cup run has come to an end, Palace leave the competition with momentum and belief intact after matching one of the Premier League’s strongest sides on their own ground.

For Hughes and his teammates, the message is clear: fatigue is no excuse — and this squad is still moving forward.

Crystal Palace will now turn their attention back to league duties and the FA Cup, where squad rotation and recovery will be key after an exhausting run.

With performances like this, Hughes believes Palace can continue to compete across competitions — provided they maintain the intensity and belief shown at the Emirates.

Did Palace prove they can match the league’s elite despite a packed schedule?