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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the suggestion that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I do not believe that," declared Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we lose deliberately, the following day I'm no longer the coach any more."

There is a marked contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club 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 lineup for victories 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, thanks to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a strategy for revenge versus the current Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

The Cost of Achievement and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of continental football for the first time. These demands are taking a toll on some fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all season.

The coach selected an completely changed side, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" but to pick the bulk of his first-choice side, which looked decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with considerable practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup match but was forced to introduce his "key players" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game unbeaten streak against Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and two in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, is expected to begin for the first since then injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the busy fixture list. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be prepared."

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