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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful period with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the season—a League Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. Yet, the idea that Palace could focus on other competitions was firmly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the next day I'm not the manager any more."

There is a stark contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his strongest team for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for payback against the current Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently brought the demands of continental football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with some fatigued players, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all season.

The manager selected an completely different lineup, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League match. However, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to pick the bulk of his preferred team, which appeared decidedly jaded as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

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

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a possible offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten run versus Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to start for the first since that injury. Arteta revealed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the busy fixture list. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is going to be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be ready."

With key players coming back from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal present a daunting test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule intensifies.