🔗 Share this article

You could excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a restful few days with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth match of the season—a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace could focus on other tournaments was quickly dismissed by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," remarked Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 loss to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we are defeated on purpose, the following day I'm no longer the coach anymore."

There is a marked difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in command. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner selected his best lineup for victories over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight tie concluded in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, due to a rather debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for revenge versus the present Premier League leaders in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

The Price of Success and Continental Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the demands of continental football for the first time. These demands are catching up with some fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all season.

The manager selected an completely different team, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League match. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the majority of his first-choice side, which looked decidedly jaded as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

Arsenal's Perspective and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The manager must juggle his desire to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly harmed their title hopes.

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

Arsenal have an eight-game winning run versus Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, is expected to begin for the first time since then injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," said Arteta on the congested fixture list. "I think this week was the only complete week we had to prepare. The rest until February at least is will be like this. We have a wonderful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be prepared."

With key players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a daunting test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday schedule intensifies.