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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was quickly dismissed by their manager.

"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "Should somebody informs me that we lose on purpose, the next day I'm no longer the manager any more."

There exists a clear difference in Glasner's approach to cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his debut complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match concluded in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a plan for revenge versus the current Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

The Price of Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the demands of continental football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on some weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all term.

The coach selected an entirely changed lineup, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League fixture. However, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to select the majority of his preferred team, which looked decidedly lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The manager must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that League Cup match but was forced to bring on 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 situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten run against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since that injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

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

Amid key players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal present a formidable challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive period ramps up.