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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was quickly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we lose on purpose, the next day I'm not the coach any more."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's approach to cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his debut complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously 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 first-choice lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must devise a strategy for revenge versus the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

The Cost of Success and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of European football for the very first time. These pressures are catching up with some fatigued players, many of whom have barely had a break all term.

The manager fielded an entirely changed side, including four teenagers, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his preferred team, which looked decidedly jaded as they unusually 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 considerable pragmatism. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten streak versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first since then injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy fixture list. "In my view this week was the sole complete week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

With key players coming back from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal present a daunting test for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the holiday period intensifies.