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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful few days with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. Yet, the suggestion that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was quickly dismissed by their manager.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should somebody informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the manager any more."

There exists a marked contrast in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup last eight in his first full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had already been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best team for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League leaders in a match that was moved to this week owing to European obligations.

A Price of Success and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has ushered in the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several fatigued players, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all season.

The manager fielded an completely changed team, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "no option" but to select the majority of his first-choice side, which looked extremely jaded as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The boss must juggle his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained 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 League Cup tie but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first since that injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy fixture list. "In my view this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

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 holiday period ramps up.