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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could prioritize other competitions was quickly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner after his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm not the manager anymore."

There is a stark contrast in Glasner's approach to cup competitions versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his debut complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had already been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his strongest side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final tie ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must devise a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League leaders in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has 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 had a rest all season.

The coach deployed an completely different team, featuring four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. However, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to select the majority of his preferred side, which looked decidedly jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The manager must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup match but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten run versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first since that setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole complete week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the festive schedule ramps up.