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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might focus on other competitions was firmly rejected by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," declared Glasner following his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There is a marked difference in Glasner's philosophy to domestic cup tournaments versus his predecessor, 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 club had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his best team for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at half-time. 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 fixture that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

The Price of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of European football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several weary players, many of whom have hardly had a break all term.

The manager fielded an completely different side, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to select the majority of his preferred side, which appeared decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with considerable practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that League Cup tie but was compelled to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first time since that injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

With key players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable test for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive period ramps up.