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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the campaign—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was swiftly dismissed by their head coach.

"No, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should somebody tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There is a clear contrast in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had already been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his first-choice lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie ended in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a strategy for payback against the current Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

The Price of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has ushered in the challenges of European football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on several fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely had a break all season.

The coach fielded an entirely different team, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. However, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to pick the bulk of his preferred team, which appeared decidedly jaded as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he stated.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must juggle his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup match but was compelled to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game winning streak against Palace, featuring 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 then injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the congested schedule. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday period ramps up.