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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a quiet few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could focus on other tournaments was quickly rejected by their head coach.

"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "Should anyone tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the coach any more."

There exists a clear contrast in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the League Cup last eight in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had already 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 first-choice team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match concluded in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, following a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must devise a plan for payback against the current Premier League leaders in a fixture that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

A Cost of Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are catching up with some weary squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all season.

The manager deployed an completely changed lineup, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to select the majority of his first-choice team, which appeared extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must juggle his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme pragmatism. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup tie but was forced to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten run against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first time since then injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are used to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful chance to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid key players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive period ramps up.