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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful few days with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth match of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was quickly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," stated Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the coach anymore."

There is a marked difference in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his best side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a strategy for revenge versus the current Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

The Price of Achievement and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of continental football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all term.

The coach deployed an entirely changed lineup, including four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "no option" but to pick 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 affirmed.

The Gunners' Perspective and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must juggle his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme pragmatism. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup tie but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game winning streak versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," said 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 competition so we will be prepared."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday period ramps up.