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You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the suggestion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was quickly rejected by their head coach.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 defeat to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the manager any more."

There exists a marked difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner selected his first-choice team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a plan for payback versus the present Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

The Price of Achievement and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the challenges of continental football for the first time. These demands are catching up with some fatigued squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all season.

The coach selected an completely different team, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the majority of his preferred team, which appeared extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The manager must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup tie but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka came off the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a possible offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since then injury. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view 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 beautiful chance to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive schedule ramps up.