Oliver Glasner insists the welfare of his Crystal Palace players will be at the forefront of his mind as his team begin a hectic run of festive fixtures. 

Palace welcome KuPS to Selhurst Park in the Conference League on Thursday, knowing a victory is a must if they are to finish in the top eight of the league-phase standings. 

The Eagles' European clash kickstarts a run of three games in five days, with Leeds United up next in the Premier League before an EFL Cup quarter-final against Arsenal. 

Glasner has made few changes to his team throughout the 2025-26 season, but he revealed that alterations will be made for the visit of their Finnish opponents this week. 

"I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago, no player will start against both KuPs and Leeds," Glasner told reporters on Wednesday. 

"I and we all feel responsible for the players' welfare. I just spoke to Will [Hughes] and he experienced it a few years ago – playing on Boxing Day and December 28.

"Sometimes there were games, and he played it – but I just think now the intensity of the game has increased.

"Maybe you could do it once, but it's our 27th game now [this season], and we have to think further ahead, because we play on December 18, 20, 23 and 28, and January 1, 4, 7 and 10 – so it's irresponsible if we do this.

"We will start with two completely different teams, but, of course, the minutes will be shared a little bit if we can.

"I always want to play the best team from the first until the last minute, but this game demands this from us, so that is why we will do it."

Palace's squad depth is not helped by the loss of Ismaila Sarr, who has departed to link up with Senegal's Africa Cup of Nations squad.

Glasner will also be without midfielder Daichi Kamada for this run of matches after the Japan international limped off in Palace's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

Indeed, only Jefferson Lerma (24), Marc Guehi, Jean-Philippe Mateta (both 25) and Maxence Lacroix (26) have played more games in all competitions than Kamada (23) for Palace this season.

"It is how it looked, how he walked off the pitch," Glasner confirmed. "It's a serious hamstring injury, and he will be out for at least eight to 10 weeks.

"It doesn't affect the thinking for tomorrow's game – he won't be back – and our focus is completely on the three games within five days.

"Then we have a bit of time, and then we play Tottenham at home before 2025 ends, so no, it doesn't affect the next couple of days.

"It's not what we want, but on the other hand, it's part of football – it’s part of sports – that so many things can happen.

"It's not a normal muscle injury, it was just an incident with his landing – he overstretched everything, the full weight on the front, and that's why it happens.

"He never has muscle injuries. But unfortunately, it's part of our game."

Palace face a KuPS side who are yet to win on the road in major European competitions (P11 D3 L8), failing to score in their last four away European games.

However, the Eagles have alternated between victories (three) and defeats (two) in the Conference League this season, winning 3-0 against Shelbourne last week.

They have never recorded back-to-back wins on the European stage before, but know if they do, they have the best chance of automatically qualifying for the last 16.