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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was quickly dismissed by their manager.

"No, I do not believe that," declared Glasner after his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the manager any more."

There is a stark difference in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first full season 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 wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match ended in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner must figure out a plan for payback versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was moved to this week owing to European commitments.

A Price of Achievement and European Exhaustion

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 very first time. These demands are taking a toll on some exhausted players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all season.

The manager selected an entirely different team, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the bulk of his preferred side, which looked decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

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

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning streak against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be prepared."

With important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday schedule ramps up.