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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace could prioritize other competitions was swiftly dismissed by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 defeat to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm not the coach any more."

There is a stark difference in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight 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 first-choice side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight tie concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at half-time. Now, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge against the current Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

A Cost of Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has brought the demands of European football for the very first time. These pressures are catching up with several fatigued squad members, many of whom have hardly had a rest all term.

The manager selected an entirely changed lineup, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the majority of his first-choice team, which looked decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The boss must balance his ambition 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 aspirations.

Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup tie but was forced to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten run versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, is expected to begin for the first time since then injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are accustomed to it," said Arteta on the busy fixture list. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be prepared."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive period ramps up.