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You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a restful period with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was quickly dismissed by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "Should anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the following day I'm not the manager anymore."

There exists a clear difference in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had already been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his first-choice team for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match concluded in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, following a rather debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge versus the current Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

A Price of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, 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 European football for the very first time. These demands are catching up with several weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all season.

The manager selected an completely changed lineup, featuring four youngsters, in their last Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice side, which looked extremely jaded as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

The Gunners' Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that League Cup tie but was forced to introduce his "big-hitters" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match winning streak versus Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term 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 accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is going to be similar. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

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