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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the season—a League Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their manager.

"No, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner after his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the coach anymore."

There exists a clear contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best team for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, due to a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League leaders in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

The Price of Achievement and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the rigors of European football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all term.

The coach deployed an completely changed team, featuring four youngsters, in their last Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" but to pick the majority of his preferred side, which appeared extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The manager must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. 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 hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match winning streak versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first since that injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "I think 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 semi-final of a tournament so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule intensifies.