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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a restful period with his family in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm not the coach any more."

There is a clear contrast in Glasner's approach to cup competitions compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight tie concluded in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a plan for revenge versus the current Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of European football for the 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 different lineup, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice team, which appeared extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The manager must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just 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 compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match winning run versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a formidable challenge for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday period intensifies.