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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a restful few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might focus on other competitions was firmly rejected by their head coach.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "Should somebody informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the next day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There exists a marked difference in Glasner's philosophy to cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his first-choice lineup for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match concluded in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, following a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for payback against the present Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has brought the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are catching up with some fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all term.

The manager selected an completely changed team, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. However, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to choose the majority of his preferred side, which appeared extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

The Gunners' Perspective and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup tie but was compelled 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 in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning run against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since then injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule intensifies.