Crystal Palace secured their third consecutive win as they defeated Newcastle 2-0 at Selhurst Park. Jean-Phillippe Mateta scored twice on the night to increase his Premier League tally to 11 goals. This is the first time since last April that the Eagles have won three games on the trot. This run has more or less helped them confirm their top-flight status this season.
The Eagles started their run of victories by defeating the mighty Liverpool at Anfield. After Eberchi Eze opened the scoring, Crystal Palace looked determined to come off with the win as they defended well against the Reds. Although Jurgen Klopp’s men had plenty of chances, they failed to score and dropped crucial points against Palace. The team from the South of England then put on a terrific show against West Ham United, which saw them smash five goals past the Hammers.
Newcastle was always going to be a difficult opponent to beat but Oliver Glasner’s men played some high-intensity football to beat the Magpies at home. With four games left to play, Palace are fourteenth in the table and could certainly finish a few more places above if they continue their form going into the upcoming fixtures.
Oliver Glasner has transformed Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner took over the reins of the club from veteran manager Roy Hodgson. The Austrian manager had a successful stint at his previous club Eintracht Frankfurt, where he helped them win the Europa League in 2022. He was a highly touted coach due to his work in Germany. After looking at the managers that were in the market, Crystal Palace decided to bring Glasner in to lead them to safety in the Premier League.
Glasner has been on the touchline for the last nine games. During this time, Palace have won five matches and lost three, where their opponents were Tottenham Hotspurs, Bournemouth and Manchester City. His three-at-the-back system has helped the team not only defend better but also attack with confidence and in numbers. They have been moving the ball in the final third and also taking a lot of shots on the opposition’s goal. In their three-game winning streak, Crystal Palace have taken 46 shots, which shows how confident the players are at the moment.
Crystal Palace have some work to do in the summer
Michael Olise and Eberchi Eze are the stars of the team and both of them have missed a significant amount of time due to injuries. With them out of the lineup, Crystal Palace are short of attacking options and the management needs to do something to sort that out in the summer. Olise and Eze are players who are on the radar for other European clubs and if the club are to sell them they can expect to make some good money to bring in quality players.
Oliver Glasner has brought the joy back to Selhurst Park, but he needs more backing to help Crystal Palace reach greater heights next season. The team have shown a lot of promise over the last few games and if Glasner gets the support, Palace could make a push for European spots next season.
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