Glasner Hopes to Motivate Fatigued Crystal Palace as Payback Against The Gunners Looms.

One might forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to spend a quiet period with his loved ones in Austria before Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the season—a Carabao Cup last-eight clash against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might prioritize other competitions was quickly dismissed by their boss.

"No, I don't think so," declared Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "Should anyone tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the manager any more."

There exists a marked difference in Glasner's approach to domestic cup tournaments versus his forerunner, Roy Hodgson. This initially was evident during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his first complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the team had already been knocked out from each of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner selected his best lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match concluded in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a slightly debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must figure out a plan for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a fixture that was rescheduled to this week because of European commitments.

A Price of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own success. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final has ushered in the rigors of European football for the first time. These demands are taking a toll on some weary squad members, many of whom have hardly enjoyed a rest all season.

The coach deployed an completely different side, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. However, ahead of the Arsenal clash, he conceded he will have "little choice" but to pick the bulk of his first-choice side, which appeared extremely jaded as they unusually let in four goals from set-pieces versus Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he said.

Arsenal's Viewpoint and Team Considerations

For Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are different. The boss must juggle his ambition to win a another major trophy with extreme pragmatism. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game versus Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly harmed their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented a number of changes for that cup match but was forced to bring on his "key players" following 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 in operation—a scenario that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-match unbeaten run against Palace, including seven wins. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, is expected to begin for the first since then setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "touching" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

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

Amid key players returning from injury and a determination to progress, Arsenal present a formidable test for a Palace side desperately in need of a spark as the holiday schedule intensifies.