🔗 Share this article

You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a restful period with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth match of the campaign—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace might focus on other competitions was quickly rejected by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I don't think so," stated Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone informs me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There is a stark contrast in Glasner's approach to cup tournaments compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first full season in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner selected his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final match concluded in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at half-time. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week because of European obligations.

A Cost of Success and Continental Exhaustion

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

The manager selected an completely changed team, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League fixture. However, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "no option" but to select the majority of his preferred team, which looked decidedly lethargic as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he stated.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The manager must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with considerable practicality. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup tie but was compelled to bring on his "key players" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning streak against Palace, featuring seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first since then setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful opportunity 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 pose a daunting challenge for a Crystal Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule ramps up.