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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the idea that Palace could prioritize other competitions was swiftly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the coach any more."

There exists a clear contrast in Glasner's philosophy to cup tournaments compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup last eight in his debut complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner fielded his best lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight tie ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a strategy for payback against the present Premier League leaders in a fixture that was moved to this week because of European commitments.

The Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the demands of continental football for the first time. These demands are catching up with some fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all season.

The coach fielded an entirely different team, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. However, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to pick the bulk of his first-choice team, which appeared extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a possible offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation 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 last season's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first since then setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be prepared."

With important players returning from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive period ramps up.