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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," stated Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the next day I'm not the coach any more."

There exists a stark difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his best lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a plan for payback against the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Success and Continental 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 brought the rigors of continental football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all term.

The coach fielded an entirely changed side, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to select the majority of his preferred team, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that League Cup tie but was forced 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 available—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game winning streak versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored 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 begin for the first since then setback. Arteta disclosed the striker 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 only full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is going to be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

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