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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the idea that Palace could prioritize other competitions was swiftly rejected by their boss.

"No, I don't think so," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 defeat to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There exists a clear difference in Glasner's approach to cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must devise a strategy for payback versus the current Premier League leaders in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week because of European commitments.

The Cost of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the challenges of European football for the first time. These demands are taking a toll on some weary squad members, many of whom have hardly had a rest all term.

The manager selected an entirely different side, featuring four youngsters, in their last Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" but to select the majority of his preferred side, which looked decidedly lethargic as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup match but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning streak versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and two in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, is expected to start for the first time since then setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is going to be similar. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

With key players returning from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive schedule intensifies.