🔗 Share this article

You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a restful period with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth fixture of the campaign—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. Yet, the notion that Palace could focus on other competitions was swiftly rejected by their manager.

"No, I don't think so," declared Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 defeat to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm not the coach anymore."

There is a marked difference in Glasner's strategy to cup tournaments relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup quarter-finals in his debut full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been eliminated from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his strongest team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight match concluded in a three-two defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a strategy for revenge against the present Premier League leaders in a match that was moved to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own achievements. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has brought the challenges of continental football for the first time. These demands are catching up with several fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a rest all term.

The coach selected an completely changed team, featuring four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the majority of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he stated.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are distinct. The manager must balance his desire to win a another major trophy with extreme practicality. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had made several changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "key players" after the break. Saka came off 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-match unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in last season's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since that setback. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're used to it," commented Arteta on the congested fixture list. "In my view this week was the only full week we had to prepare. The rest 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 present a formidable challenge for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the holiday period ramps up.