Last season's Carabao Cup run was one of immense disappointment. The Eagles bowed out in the at the first attempt at the hands of League Two side, Colchester United

Palace squandered a handful of glorious opportunities in the match; a side that boasted the Premier League talent of Andros Townsend, Christian Benteke and Max Meyer, failed to punish serval opportunities, allowing the game to be decided by the lottery of a penalty shootout.  

Colchester's spot-kicks prevailed, with Townsend's penalty miss proving the decisive action on the night. Hodgson said after the match, "We sign players, believe in them and believe that when they get their chance they will shine. You can't do more than give them a chance to come in and shine and there will be some who aren't happy with their performance."  

Palace's last run in this cup competition came in the 2011/12 season, reaching the semi-final's, only to be denied a place in the final by then fellow Championship outfit, Cardiff City.  

With Roy Hodgson set to leave professional football at the end of this season and hand the Crystal Palace managerial reigns to a new manager, a successful cup run could be a fitting way for the 73-year-old to relinquish his grip on the footballing world.  

Having played on Saturday, and with Hodgson looking to gain match fitness for his small squad ahead of the barrage of Premier League football, the likelihood of squad rotation is very high.  

Predicted line-up 

Goalkeeper - Wayne Hennessey 

Having recently broken Neville Southall’s Wales clean sheet record during the last round of international fixtures, Wayne Hennessey is primed to make a rare start for his club.

Entering his sixth season at Selhurst Park, Hennessey has found himself out of the starting line-up due to the impressive performances from first choice Vincente Guaita, who has become indispensable to Hodgson's side.  

Defenders - Joel Ward, Martin Kelly, Scott Dann and Jarosław Jach 

Palace are thin on defensive options; Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins and Gary Cahill, are all out with long term injuries, while new right-back signing Nathan Ferguson, is yet to train with the first team due to a knee injury that was unearthed during his medical, which required surgery and a lengthy recovery period, leaving Joel Ward as the only available right-back. 

Martin Kelly will partner Scott Dann, as the former Liverpool man looks to gain match fitness following his return to the squad from injury. 

Having joined the club in 2017, Jarosław Jach is set to make his Crystal Palace debut at left-back. Originally a centre-back by trade, Jach has spent his Palace career being shipped out on loan, first to Çaykur Rizespor in Turkey, then too Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova, and finally, Raków Częstochowa in Poland.  

Jach was expected to cut ties at Palace this season in search of regular first team football, however, with Palace short or numbers at left-back, and academy product Tyrick Mitchell, needing a well-earned rest before a trip to Manchester United next weekend, Jach is finally primed to get his long awaited first team chance.  

Midfielders - Luka Milivojevic, James McCarthy and Max Meyer 

Luka Milivojevic and Max Meyer need match fitness, especially Milivojevic who will be called upon soon for first team duties. Meyer's future in south London is in the balance, he has failed to find a place in Hodgson's starting line-up and is slipping further down the pecking order since the arrival of Eberechi Eze.  

McCarthy will start alongside Meyer and Milivojevic, thus providing the mainstay in the midfield James McArthur a break, as the 32-year-old looks to reset his engine ahead of another drawn-out and demanding season.

Forwards - Eberechi Eze, Michy Batshuayi and Jeffrey Schlupp 

Eberechi Eze is in line to make his first team debut following an accomplished 10-minute cameo against Southampton on Saturday. Eze also needs to get himself up to full fitness, with this Carabao Cup tie set to prove a worthy game for Hodgson to get the majority of his side up to match speed.  

Having re-joined on a season-long loan, Michy Batshuayi will be given the chance to stake his claim as the starting striker ahead of Palace's trip to Old Trafford next weekend. The Belgian international scored 6 goals in 13 games in his previous loan spell, and will look to open his account this season against Bournemouth.  

Jeffery Schlupp's vast versatility will again be required on Tuesday night as he looks to supply firepower to the deadly duo of Eze and Batshuayi. 

Wayne Hennessey; Joel Ward, Martin Kelly, Scott Dann Jarosław Jach; Luka Milivojevic, James McCarthy, Max Meyer; Eberechi Eze, Michy Batshuayi, Jeffrey Schlupp.  

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