🔗 Share this article

One might excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was firmly rejected by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," declared Glasner after his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated deliberately, the following day I'm not the manager any more."

There exists a stark contrast in Glasner's philosophy to cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in charge. 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. Conversely, Glasner fielded his first-choice lineup for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a meeting with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match concluded in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a plan for revenge against the current Premier League leaders in a match that was rescheduled to this week because of European commitments.

The Cost of Success and European Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their maiden major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the rigors of continental football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with several fatigued squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all season.

The coach selected an entirely different side, including four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. However, for the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to pick the bulk of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly harmed their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup match but was forced to bring on his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match winning run versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to begin for the first time since that setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies 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 like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid important players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule intensifies.