Crystal Palace Oliver Glasner pleased with impact of substitute duo in Liverpool defeat
Oliver Glasner was pleased with the impact Jean-Philippe Mateta and Will Hughes made in Crystal Palace’s 1-0 defeat at home to Liverpool on Saturday.
French striker Mateta was handed a rest, with Eddie Nketiah leading the line and Ismalia Sarr starting as one of the creative attackers alongside Eberechi Eze.
Adam Wharton also started the game despite Glasner predicting the young midfielder would drop out of England U21 duty this international break.
Mateta and Hughes were subbed on in the 60th minute for Tyrick Mitchell and Wharton.
Ex-Watford man Hughes won two tackles and completed three dribbles. Mateta set up three big chances during his time on the pitch,
“They had a great impact,” said Glasner.
“JP, with his physicality and his runs. Will Hughes brought a lot of energy.
“We want it from the beginning. We talked about it last time with Ismaila Sarr. It gives me a positive feeling that we have a higher number than 11 who can play.
“We need this. We have players like Tyrick Mitchell, who has played every single minute.
“Half of the team are leaving for the international duty. This was the first time the back three had played together today – they did it well.
“We should have defended the goal better, but Jota has scored many goals like this because his movement in the box was excellent.
“They will get to know each other better and better. Maybe we have to adjust the set-up a little bit, but in every single game, we have been competitive.
“We don’t get the results at the moment. This is frustrating, but there is just one way you can turn it around, and that’s by staying together, believing and working on it.
“We could, after being 1-0 down at half-time and struggling, have lost three, four or five-nil, but this team always comes back.
“It’s my job and responsibility to improve the understanding of what we want to do in and out of possession to create more and more chances and be more stable defensively.”
PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD