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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet few days with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the season—a League Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace could prioritize other competitions was swiftly rejected by their boss.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm not the manager anymore."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the club had already been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his strongest side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for payback versus the present Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Success and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the rigors of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are taking a toll on some fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all term.

The manager deployed an completely changed lineup, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. However, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his preferred team, which looked decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager 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 just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup match but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten run against Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since that injury. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the busy fixture list. "I think this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful chance to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be prepared."

With important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a daunting challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the holiday schedule ramps up.