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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the season—a League Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace might focus on other competitions was quickly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," remarked Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 defeat to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There exists a stark contrast in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his debut complete campaign in command. 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. In contrast, Glasner selected his strongest side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight tie concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Now, Glasner must devise a plan for payback against the present Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has brought the demands of continental football for the first time. These demands are catching up with some fatigued squad members, many of whom have hardly had a rest all term.

The coach selected an entirely different team, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to choose the bulk of his preferred team, which looked extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

The Gunners' Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made 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 decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game unbeaten run versus Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since that setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are used to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid key players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive schedule intensifies.