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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a League Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was quickly rejected by their head coach.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "Should anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There is a marked difference in Glasner's approach to cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially 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 knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his strongest team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a plan for revenge versus the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European commitments.

The Price of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of European football for the very first time. These pressures are catching up with some exhausted squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all season.

The coach fielded an entirely different side, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice team, which looked extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The manager must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten run against Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, is expected to begin for the first since then setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "In my view this week was the sole complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid key players returning from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive period ramps up.