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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a restful few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the campaign—a League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the suggestion that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was quickly dismissed by their head coach.

"No, I don't think so," declared Glasner following his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the coach anymore."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's run to the League Cup last eight in his debut complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had already been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner fielded his first-choice lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final tie concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for payback against the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European commitments.

The Price of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the rigors of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are taking a toll on some weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a break all season.

The coach fielded an completely different side, featuring four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his first-choice team, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a another major trophy with considerable pragmatism. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "key players" after the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a subsequent league win before suffering a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first since then setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" 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 prepare. The period until February at least is will be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid important players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule ramps up.