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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a restful few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was firmly dismissed by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we are defeated on purpose, the next day I'm no longer the manager any more."

There is a marked contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his first-choice side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight tie ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for revenge versus the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European commitments.

A Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has brought the challenges of continental football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several weary players, many of whom have barely had a rest all season.

The coach fielded an completely changed team, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup tie but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play 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-match winning run against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first time since then injury. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be prepared."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a formidable challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the holiday period intensifies.