🔗 Share this article

You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a restful period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, instead of 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 prioritize other competitions was swiftly rejected by their manager.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner after his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "If anyone tells me that we lose on purpose, the next day I'm not the manager anymore."

There exists a clear contrast in Glasner's strategy to domestic cup tournaments relative to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup quarter-finals in his debut complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had previously been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner picked his best side for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a encounter with Arsenal.

That previous last-eight tie ended in a three-two loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a somewhat controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week owing to European commitments.

The Cost of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a way, been a casualty of his own success. Leading Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final has brought the challenges of European football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on some weary squad members, many of whom have barely had a break all season.

The manager deployed an entirely changed side, featuring four teenagers, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to pick the bulk of his preferred team, which looked decidedly jaded as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Must. Yes, have to," he affirmed.

The Gunners' Perspective and Team Dilemmas

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the situation are different. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a second major trophy with considerable pragmatism. The previous season, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka sustained in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback significantly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup tie but was forced to introduce his "key players" following the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to assist Jesus for a crucial goal in a move that left Glasner "furious" over a potential offside, with no VAR available—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten streak versus Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and a brace in a subsequent league win before sustaining a serious knee injury, looks set to begin for the first since then injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We are used to it," said Arteta on the busy fixture list. "I think this week was the sole full week we had to prepare. The period until February at least is will be like this. We have a beautiful chance to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be prepared."

With key players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a formidable challenge for a Palace side urgently in need of a spark as the festive schedule intensifies.