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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a quiet few days 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 quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could prioritize other competitions was quickly dismissed 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 next day I'm not the coach any more."

There is a stark contrast in Glasner's philosophy to cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner selected his first-choice side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final tie ended in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at half-time. Now, Glasner must devise a plan for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European commitments.

A Cost of Achievement and Continental 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 European football for the first time. These demands are catching up with several weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all term.

The manager selected an completely different side, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" but to choose the majority of his first-choice team, which appeared decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup match but was compelled to introduce 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 scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten streak versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first time since then setback. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

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

With key players returning from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule intensifies.