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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a quiet few days with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was firmly rejected by their boss.

"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we lose deliberately, the following day I'm no longer the coach any more."

There is a stark difference in Glasner's approach to cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his best lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final tie concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a strategy for revenge against the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the rigors of European football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several weary players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all term.

The manager selected an completely changed team, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to select the bulk of his first-choice team, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with considerable practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first time since that injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole complete week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule intensifies.