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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful period with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a League Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace could focus on other competitions was firmly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner after his team's side's four-one defeat to Leeds. "Should somebody informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the manager any more."

There is a clear contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his first-choice side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match concluded in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to devise a plan for payback versus the current Premier League leaders in a fixture that was moved to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Achievement and Continental 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 pressures are catching up with several fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely had a break all term.

The coach fielded an entirely changed lineup, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to choose the majority of his preferred team, which appeared decidedly jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme pragmatism. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten streak against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since that setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is going to be like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be ready."

Amid important players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the holiday period intensifies.