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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the campaign—a League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was swiftly dismissed by their boss.

"Absolutely not, 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 not the coach any more."

There exists a stark difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his strongest side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight tie concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for revenge against the current Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was moved to this week because of European commitments.

The Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

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

The manager fielded an completely different side, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the bulk of his first-choice team, which looked extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The manager must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match winning run against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, is expected to begin for the first time since that setback. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "In my view this week was the sole complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be similar. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal present a daunting test for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday period ramps up.