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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their head coach.

"No, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the coach any more."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the League Cup last eight in his debut full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his first-choice lineup for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight tie ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for payback versus the present Premier League leaders in a fixture that was moved to this week owing to European obligations.

The Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has brought the challenges of European football for the very first time. These demands are catching up with some fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all season.

The coach deployed an completely different team, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League fixture. However, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must juggle his desire to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten run against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since that injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are used to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid important players returning from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive period ramps up.