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One might forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to spend a restful few days with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly dismissed by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," declared Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 defeat to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the manager any more."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's strategy to cup competitions compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his debut full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight tie ended 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. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

The Cost of Success and European 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 has brought the demands of continental football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with several exhausted players, many of whom have hardly had a rest all term.

The coach deployed an entirely different side, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. However, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to select the majority of his preferred side, which appeared extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Selection Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup fightback significantly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

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

"We are used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "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 last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to progress, Arsenal pose a formidable test for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday period intensifies.