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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth match of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we lose deliberately, the following day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There exists a clear contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup last eight 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. Conversely, Glasner fielded his first-choice lineup for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a plan for payback against the current Premier League leaders in a match that was moved to this week because of European commitments.

The Cost of Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the rigors of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several fatigued squad members, many of whom have hardly had a break all term.

The coach selected an entirely different lineup, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his preferred side, which appeared decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Considerations

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

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup tie but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten streak against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, is expected to begin for the first time since that setback. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the busy schedule. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

With key players coming back from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the festive schedule ramps up.