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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet few days 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. However, the notion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was quickly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the following day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There is a marked contrast in Glasner's philosophy to cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his first-choice side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner must devise a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Success and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on some fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely had a break all season.

The coach fielded an entirely different team, including four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "no option" but to pick the majority of his first-choice team, which looked decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme pragmatism. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that League Cup tie but was forced to bring on his "key players" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten run against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, is expected to start for the first since that setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is going to be like this. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be prepared."

With key players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal pose a daunting challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the holiday period ramps up.