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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a restful few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was quickly rejected by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner following his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "If somebody informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's approach to cup competitions relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his strongest side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, following a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a strategy for payback versus the current Premier League leaders in a match that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

A Price of Success and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of European football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on some fatigued players, many of whom have hardly had a break all season.

The manager fielded an entirely changed lineup, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "no option" but to pick the bulk of his preferred side, which appeared extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The manager must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" 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 scored 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 begin for the first time since that injury. Arteta disclosed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is going to be similar. We have a wonderful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

With key players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday period ramps up.