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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth match of the season—a League Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their head coach.

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

There exists a marked difference in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had already been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his strongest team for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie concluded in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week because of European commitments.

The Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of continental football for the very first time. These demands are catching up with several weary squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all term.

The coach selected an completely different side, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to select the majority of his first-choice side, which looked decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he stated.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup tie but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game winning streak against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first 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 fixture list. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is going to be similar. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal pose a daunting challenge for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive schedule intensifies.