Oliver Glasner reveals half-time prediction to players – as Crystal Palace consign Man United to yet another new loss record

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OLIVER Glasner revealed he told his players at half-time to be patient and that their chances would come before Crystal Palace piled the misery on Manchester United with their 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday. 

Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice – his twelfth and thirteenth goals in all competitions this season – as the Eagles consigned Ruben Amorim’s side to a seventh home league defeat in their opening thirteen games – their joint-worst run ever and the same as in 1893-94. 

The game turned in Palace’s favour when Eberechi Eze was introduced in the 61st minute. Three minutes later, his free-kick was headed onto the bar by Maxence Lacroix and Mateta finished the rebound. 

Mateta tapped home Daniel Munoz’s low cross a minute from time. 

“I’m absolutely delighted. All the credit to the players, a big performance today,” Glasner said. 

“The game was how we expected it. And also, to be honest, we had some minutes at the beginning, some minutes at the start of the second half where we had to survive. Especially after half-time, we needed Dean Henderson and two big saves.

“But overall we defended so well today as a group and didn’t give them too many set-plays. They were really good. We knew that we would get our chances, we would get our situations.

“We already had them in the first half, but we didn’t take them. At half-time, we showed them the situations, and said: ‘guys, stay patient, this will be [possible] again’. And so it happened that the players stayed patient, always kept believing that we will get chances, that we will get opportunities to score.

“And then the opener was the set-play, and then again we defended well and were waiting for this transition, and then it was an amazing transition. Starting with Adam Wharton, it was a one-touch pass to Ismaila Sarr, and then really accelerating the pace of our attack.

“Daniel Munoz, I think, made an 80-yard run again in the 85th minute, and JP [Mateta] was there where he has to be, and decides the game for us.

“A big win, big performance – I’m really pleased.”

Mateta has ten Premier League goals this season. 

“I think today he was there where he has to be as a striker, because it was twice a one-touch finish,” Glasner said. “He has this feeling that No.9 should have in the box.

“The first one was a good set-play where Maxence wins the header, and he [JP] is there where he has to be. And the second, then it’s easier, passing into the empty goal, but he makes so many runs where he doesn’t get this ball. We always encourage him, ‘do it, do it, do it’, and it’s a lot of effort he’s doing for the team, where he doesn’t get the ball.

“But today, it was maybe his 20th run, and then he’s there and gets the reward – so that’s really what delights me most, that he’s doing it, and doing it the same.”

There was another boost for Palace when England midfielder Adam Wharton came on in the second half for his first appearance since October. He was involved in the second goal. 

Involved in the build-up for the second goal was late substitute Adam Wharton, making his first appearance for Palace since 30th October after recovering from surgery on a groin injury.

“We’re all delighted,” Glasner said. “We could see it during the week.

“The plan was not to call him up for the squad, because he was back for just one week after a three- or four-month injury, and usually I don’t do this, I always want the players to be a little bit in the rhythm.

“But his performance in the whole training week was impressive, and then I talked to him and I said, ‘how long do you think you can play?’ We talked about it straight before the game, here on the pitch, and I said, ‘okay, maybe fifteen, 20 minutes is possible’, and he showed it.

“He has such a great understanding of the game and pre-orientation, and it’s good to have him back.”

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