🔗 Share this article

One might forgive Oliver Glasner for wishing to enjoy a restful few days with his loved ones in Austria ahead of Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's twenty-ninth game of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other tournaments was quickly dismissed by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," declared Glasner after his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone tells me that we are defeated deliberately, the following day I'm not the coach anymore."

There is a clear contrast in Glasner's approach to domestic cup competitions relative to his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This first was evident during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in command. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup by the time Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner selected his first-choice side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous quarter-final match concluded in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, despite Palace having led at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to devise a strategy for revenge against the current Premier League leaders in a match that was moved to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Success and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a victim of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the challenges of European football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with some fatigued players, many of whom have barely enjoyed a break all term.

The coach deployed an completely different team, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. However, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to choose the majority of his first-choice side, which appeared decidedly lethargic as they unusually conceded four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he stated.

The Gunners' Viewpoint and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The manager must balance his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. Last year, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup fightback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup tie but was forced to introduce his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a possible offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game unbeaten streak against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup meeting and a brace in a later league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to start for the first 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 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 semi-final of a competition so we will be prepared."

Amid important players coming back from injury and a determination to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting challenge for a Crystal Palace side urgently in need of rejuvenation as the festive period ramps up.