🔗 Share this article

You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the season—a League Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace could prioritize other tournaments was quickly rejected by their boss.

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

There exists a stark contrast in Glasner's philosophy to cup competitions versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's run to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had already been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best side for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match ended in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at half-time. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for payback against the current Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

The Cost of Success and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own success. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of European football for the very first time. These demands are catching up with some exhausted squad members, many of whom have barely had a break all term.

The coach deployed an completely changed side, including four youngsters, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice team, which looked extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, must," he said.

The Gunners' Viewpoint and Selection Considerations

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The manager must juggle his desire to win a another major trophy with considerable practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

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

Arsenal are on an eight-game winning run against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in last season's League Cup meeting and two in a subsequent league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since that setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful chance to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday schedule intensifies.