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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a restful few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace could focus on other competitions was quickly dismissed by their head coach.

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

There exists a marked contrast in Glasner's strategy to cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had already been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his strongest lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a rather debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

The Cost of Achievement and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has ushered in the challenges of continental football for the first time. These demands are catching up with several fatigued players, many of whom have barely had a break all season.

The manager deployed an entirely different lineup, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" but to pick the bulk of his preferred team, which appeared extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just 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 "key players" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

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

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is going to be similar. We have a wonderful opportunity to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be ready."

With key players returning from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule ramps up.