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You could forgive 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 last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their manager.

"No, I don't think so," declared Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the manager anymore."

There is a marked contrast in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his first full season in command. Under Hodgson, the team had already been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his best lineup for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. 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 owing to European obligations.

A Price of Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has brought the rigors of European football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with some fatigued players, many of whom have barely had a rest all season.

The manager fielded an completely changed side, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League match. However, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" 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. "Must. Yes, have to," he stated.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must juggle his ambition to win a another major trophy with considerable practicality. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning run versus Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season'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 time since that setback. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the congested schedule. "In my view this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The period 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 important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday schedule ramps up.