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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the campaign—a League Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was swiftly rejected by their boss.

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

There is a marked contrast in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in command. 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 first-choice team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at half-time. Now, Glasner must 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 Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has ushered in the challenges of European football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on several exhausted squad members, many of whom have barely had a break all season.

The coach selected an completely changed lineup, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League match. However, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten streak versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since that injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "In my view this week was the only complete 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 prepared."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule intensifies.