Glasner Seeks to Motivate Jaded Palace as Payback Versus Arsenal Awaits.

You could forgive Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet period with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than gearing up for Crystal Palace's 29th fixture of the campaign—a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. However, the notion that Palace might focus on other tournaments was firmly dismissed by their boss.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," stated Glasner following his team's side's 4-1 hammering to Leeds. "If anyone informs me that we lose on purpose, the next day I'm not the manager anymore."

There is a clear difference in Glasner's approach to cup tournaments versus his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This first became clear during Palace's run to the Carabao Cup last eight in his first full season in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had previously been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner assumed control at Selhurst Park. Conversely, Glasner fielded his first-choice team for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, paving the way for a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior last-eight match ended in a 3-2 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, thanks to a rather debated hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having led at half-time. Almost exactly twelve months later, Glasner must devise a strategy for revenge versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was moved to this week owing to European obligations.

A Cost of Success and European Fatigue

Glasner has, in a way, been a victim of his own success. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with a win in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the rigors of continental football for the first time. These pressures are catching up with several exhausted squad members, many of whom have hardly had a break all term.

The coach deployed an entirely changed lineup, including four teenagers, in their last Conference League fixture. Yet, for the Arsenal clash, he admitted he will have "little choice" but to pick the majority of his preferred side, which looked extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically conceded four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, must," he affirmed.

The Gunners' 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 practicality. The previous season, a muscle injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace just days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title aspirations.

Arteta had implemented several changes for that cup match but was compelled to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka came off the bench to assist Jesus for a decisive goal in a move that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a scenario that will be the case again on Tuesday.

Arsenal have an eight-game unbeaten run versus Palace, featuring seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who scored a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a subsequent league win before suffering a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since that setback. Arteta revealed the striker wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football signifies to him.

"We're accustomed to it," said Arteta on the congested schedule. "In my view this week was the sole full week we had to get ready. The period until February at least is going to be similar. We have a wonderful chance to go into the semi-final of a tournament so we will be prepared."

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