Glenn Murray: I didn’t want to rub salt in the wounds of Crystal Palace fans by celebrating my goal
Glenn Murray took no extra pleasure from his winner against former club Crystal Palace last night – as he kept his promise from earlier in the season not to celebrate if he netted.
The Brighton striker got the slightest of touches to Uwe Huenemeier’s header to settle the tie late on at the Amex Stadium.
Murray said: “It was just a goal against a team. I don’t take any enjoyment scoring against my ex-employers – as I didn’t when I scored against Brighton [for Palace] and it’s just to be in the next round of the cup.
“I’ve got no reason to rub salt into the wounds. I had a great time up there, as I did back at Brighton before I left here. Both clubs have been very successful periods for me and I’ve enjoyed all my time there.”
The VARsystem was used for the first time in a domestic English game with Palace’s players and bench initially questioning if Murray had used his arm before the ball crossed Wayne Hennessey’s goal-line.
Murray said: “It’s not a question because the VAR would have ruled it out. I knew it didn’t touch my arm obviously I’ve seen Uwe go up at the far post and the normal thing you do is put it back across and I’m waiting for that moment and I just needed to get something on it as I felt it was going to just sneak wide and luckily I did.
“I think there’s pros and cons. Especially with the brand of the Premier League – it’s physicality and it’s speed is what the world likes to see. If the VAR is going to slow it down then it’s not a good thing, but if it can be introduced gradually and smoothly, fluidly, then yeah. We’ve had goal-line technology that’s kicked off with no problem so hopefully the VAR will be like that.
“I knew it didn’t touch my arm, I didn’t know what it touched! But it didn’t touch my arm so I knew there was no question on that but obviously the assistant VAR was in his ear telling him that it was all legit.”
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ