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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy 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 League Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was firmly rejected by their boss.

"No, I do not believe that," stated Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "Should somebody informs me that we lose on purpose, the next day I'm no longer the coach any more."

There is a marked difference in Glasner's philosophy to domestic cup tournaments compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner selected his strongest lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a meeting with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final tie ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at half-time. Now, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

A Price of Achievement and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has ushered in the demands of continental football for the first time. These pressures are taking a toll on several weary squad members, many of whom have hardly had a rest all season.

The coach fielded an completely changed side, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his first-choice team, which appeared extremely lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

The Gunners' Viewpoint and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The boss must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup tie but was forced to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive 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-game unbeaten streak versus Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before suffering a serious knee injury, is expected to begin for the first since that injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are used to it," said Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is going to be like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

With key players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal present a formidable challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the festive schedule ramps up.