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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could focus on other competitions was firmly dismissed by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we lose on purpose, the following day I'm not the manager any more."

There exists a marked contrast in Glasner's philosophy to domestic cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey 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 assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his strongest lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat 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 payback versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the rigors of European football for the very first time. These demands are catching up with some weary squad members, many of whom have barely had a rest all season.

The manager fielded an entirely different lineup, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to pick the bulk of his first-choice team, which looked extremely jaded as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The boss must juggle his desire to win a second 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 comeback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that League Cup tie but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" 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 run against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, is expected to begin for the first since then injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the sole full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance 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 pose a daunting test for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule intensifies.