Crystal Palace kicked into gear just as they face a mini shutdown of their season – Sarr and Munoz key to Glasner’s winning formula
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk
Crystal Palace head into their three-week break with the second best results in the Premier League over the last 10 games following their 1-0 win over Ipswich Town on Saturday.
After recording their joint-worst start to a Premier League season, a 1-0 win over Tottenham in late October has sparked a run of just four defeats in their last 20 outings in the top-flight and seen the Eagles climb from relegation candidates to European hopefuls.
Oliver Glasner’s side have found a formula for success, with Daniel Munoz and Ismaila Sarr both growing in importance in Palace’s style of play and ability to claim all three points.
Adam Wharton has returned from groin surgery and looks every bit of the player he was last season after arriving from Blackburn and making a late surge into Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 side.
Real Madrid scouts have been at Selhurst Park in recent weeks to check on the 21-year-old, with England boss Thomas Tuchel also making two trips to SE25 ahead of his first squad announcement today [Friday].
The loss of Trevoh Chalobah back to Chelsea after his loan spell was cut short in January has not hampered Palace’s defensive structure with the strong back three form of Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi only conceding seven goals in the last 10 games – the fewest in the division.
“It is three Premier League wins in a row and four wins in a row in all competitions – all the credit to the players, they are really working hard,” said Glasner after edging past relegation-threatened Ipswich.
“Now we have the chance to breathe a little bit because we have three weeks with no competitive game. It is for us to use these three weeks to be in the best shape for the crunch time of the season.”
The break will allow Jean-Philippe Mateta to return to full fitness after needing 25 stitches to a severe laceration of his ear following a challenge from Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in their 3-1 FA Cup fifth round win.
The ex-Lyon forward will start with individual training in Marbella before eventually returning to full contact.
Mateta’s first game back will be the quarter-final clash at Craven Cottage against Fulham on March 29.
Glasner will be hoping the French striker, who played a role in both goals during the 2-0 win over the west Londoners in February, will be ready to return straight in from the start come the end of the break.
Eddie Nketiah has two goals in his last three games, but when handed the starting role against Ipswich, he failed to grab his chance with both hands.
The £30million summer signing from Arsenal was played clean through on goal by Wharton after two minutes but failed to beat Alex Palmer.
He was taken off in the 72nd minute with Sarr moved into the centre.
Glasner was supportive of Nketiah’s performance against the Tractor Boys.
“In this situation, we needed a goal and we wanted a little more physicality on the nine position and the pocket player,” said the Austrian.
“The pocket player was Daichi Kamada, who was involved in the goal. This was the reason we made this sub. Ebs (Eberechi Eze) was very threatening and had many finishes that were a little bit unlucky.
“We said: ‘Okay, Ebs should stay’. But Eddie did really well. He worked hard and solved many situations.
“He took part in the game and was unlucky. He missed a big chance and when Ebs’ deflected ball hits the post, it rolls one yard next to him – when you are a striker on a run then the ball drops for an empty net goal.
“He worked hard for the team and always when a player does that and works for the team then we back him and support him. That is what we do with Eddie.”
Glasner will also have a nervous wait to find out whether all of his key players will make it through their international camps without injury.
Jefferson Lerma and Munoz are both likely to be involved in Colombia’s World Cup qualifying clashes against Brazil and Paraguay.
Guehi, Wharton, Eze and Dean Henderson are hoping to be named in Tuchel’s first England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
Richards, Sarr and Kamada will likely jet off to represent USA, Senegal and Japan.
Palace have clicked into gear, but an injury-free break will be key to making sure another potential exciting end to the season under Glasner is on the cards.
PICTURES: ALAMY AND KEITH GILLARD