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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was firmly rejected by their boss.

"No, I do not believe that," declared Glasner following 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 any more."

There exists a clear contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his best lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match ended 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 versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

A Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the rigors of European football for the first time. These demands are taking a toll on several fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all season.

The manager selected an completely different lineup, featuring four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to choose the bulk of his preferred side, which looked extremely lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme pragmatism. 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 several changes for that cup tie but was forced to introduce his "key players" after the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten run versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first since then setback. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are used to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the only full 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 competition so we will be ready."

With important players coming back from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule intensifies.