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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 with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could focus on other competitions was swiftly rejected by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," stated Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the next day I'm not the coach any more."

There is a stark difference in Glasner's philosophy to domestic cup tournaments versus his forerunner, 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 when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly 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 plan for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These pressures are catching up with some fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely had a rest all term.

The manager deployed an entirely changed lineup, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. However, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to select the bulk of his preferred team, which appeared decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made a number of changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to bring on his "key players" following the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

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

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the busy fixture list. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be ready."

With key players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the festive period intensifies.