🔗 Share this article

You could excuse Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful period with his family in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th match of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. However, the idea that Palace could focus on other competitions was quickly dismissed by their head coach.

"No, I don't think so," remarked Glasner following his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "Should somebody tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the following day I'm not the coach anymore."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's strategy to cup competitions compared to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner fielded his first-choice side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final tie concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having been ahead at half-time. 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 match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

The Price of Achievement and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has ushered in the demands of European football for the very first time. These demands are catching up with some weary squad members, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all season.

The manager deployed an entirely changed lineup, featuring four teenagers, in their last Conference League match. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "no option" but to choose the bulk of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must balance his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup tie but was compelled to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial 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 have an eight-game winning run versus Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the busy fixture list. "I think this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is will be similar. We have a wonderful opportunity to go into the last four of a competition so we will be ready."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the holiday period intensifies.