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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace might prioritize other competitions was firmly dismissed by their head coach.

"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the following day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There exists a stark difference in Glasner's approach to cup competitions relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner fielded his first-choice lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge against the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

The Price of Success and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are taking a toll on some weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a break all season.

The coach deployed an completely changed team, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice team, which looked extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he stated.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The boss must juggle his desire to win a another 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 greatly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning streak versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since that injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're accustomed to it," said Arteta on the busy fixture list. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

With important players returning from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive schedule ramps up.