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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a quiet few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was firmly rejected by their manager.

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

There exists a marked contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first full season in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie ended in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

The Cost of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the challenges of European football for the first time. These demands are catching up with several fatigued squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all season.

The manager deployed an completely changed side, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League match. However, for the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his first-choice side, which looked extremely jaded as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he affirmed.

The Gunners' Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The boss must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "key players" following the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten run versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be similar. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal pose a formidable test for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the festive schedule ramps up.