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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was firmly rejected by their head coach.

"No, I don't think so," declared Glasner after his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There is a stark contrast in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first full season in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his first-choice side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final tie ended in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Achievement and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has ushered in the challenges of European football for the very first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several weary players, many of whom have barely had a break all term.

The manager deployed an entirely changed side, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. However, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his preferred side, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup tie but was forced to introduce his "key players" after 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 repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match winning streak versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, is expected to begin for the first since that setback. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a wonderful chance 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 progress, Arsenal pose a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule ramps up.