🔗 Share this article

You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet few days with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the season—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace might focus on other competitions was quickly rejected by their manager.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one hammering to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we lose on purpose, the following day I'm not the coach any more."

There exists a stark difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup quarter-finals in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner fielded his first-choice lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, following a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League leaders in a fixture that was moved to this week because of European obligations.

A Price of Success and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their maiden major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has ushered in the challenges of continental football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on several weary squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all term.

The manager selected an entirely changed team, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his preferred team, which looked decidedly jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

Arsenal's Perspective and Selection Considerations

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

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that League Cup match but was compelled to introduce his "big-hitters" 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 possible offside, with no VAR available—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-match unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a serious knee injury, is expected to start for the first time since that injury. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the busy schedule. "I think this week was the sole complete week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is going to be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid key players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting challenge for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the festive schedule intensifies.