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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth match of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was quickly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we lose on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There is a clear contrast in Glasner's strategy to cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his first-choice side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a plan for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

The Cost of Achievement and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has ushered in the rigors of continental football for the first time. These demands are taking a toll on several exhausted players, many of whom have hardly had a rest all season.

The manager selected an completely changed side, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "no option" but to select the bulk of his preferred team, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he said.

The Gunners' Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first time since that injury. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

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

With key players returning from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive period intensifies.