Imagine losing 3-0 to the mighty Manchester City, yet walking away feeling like you've actually won the battle—sound crazy? That's exactly how Crystal Palace's manager Oliver Glasner felt after their recent clash!
Oliver Glasner couldn't hide his optimism despite the final scoreline against a clinical Manchester City side that capitalized on every half-chance. Speaking to Palace TV, he emphasized that the result didn't mirror the effort put in by his team. "It feels like the result doesn't reflect the performances," he said, calling it "a tough defeat, but the performance was really good in many parts." For newcomers to football, this highlights how matches aren't always about who dominates possession or shots; sometimes, it's about who scores when it counts.
Palace limited City to just seven shots on goal throughout the game, while generating 16 of their own and fashioning numerous scoring opportunities. Glasner acknowledged that City excelled in the penalty areas—those critical zones near the goals where most decisive actions happen—and seized their moments effectively. "We kept them on seven shots. On the other side we had 16, we created plenty of chances. We have to accept that City were better in the boxes and they took their chances and that's why they won, and they deserve to win in the end, because in the boxes the games are decided," he explained. He pointed out that to succeed at the highest level, teams must be merciless in front of goal, much like Palace were in their FA Cup Final triumph earlier this season.
"But many parts of the game I was really pleased with – keeping them to two shots for example in the first-half, but 1-0 down, which is just the quality in the air they have on the other side. If you want to win, you have to be ruthless, like we have been in the [FA] Cup Final for example. So I think today we created many more chances than them, but they scored the goal. Today we missed a few opportunities and they were very ruthless, so that's why they won. But I think this game will help us to grow, definitely. We will take our lessons from it, we will learn from it and make it better." Glasner believes this experience will foster improvement, turning setbacks into stepping stones.
These are the small margins that decide games when you play teams like City
—Oliver Glasner
Delving into City's opening goals, which came from standout moments by Erling Haaland and Phil Foden against the flow of play, Glasner offered candid analysis. "When you watch it back you can always avoid it, but the first goal was a cross, and Haaland's movement and then a great header. Could we avoid the cross? Yes, I think. But I think we have to accept that they get two finishes in 45 minutes. When you see all the players they have on the pitch, then it's not so easy, so I think we did a great job in our defence, the whole team with how they defended." He praised the defensive efforts while noting the attacking flair that kept Palace in the game, such as Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr striking the post and Jean-Philippe Mateta having a late chance.
The second half mirrored that intensity, with City's second goal stemming from quick transitions after a turnover. Glasner highlighted how Palace's own counter-press led to Adam Wharton's effort hitting the post. "Second-half was the same. Second goal, we lost the ball and then you can see how quick it goes. [Rayan] Cherki can solve the situation and finds Foden. And then it's a very clinical strike from the edge of the box. So Adam [Wharton] wins the ball back, fantastic counter-press, has a great finish as well, but it hits the post on the outside. These are the small margins that decide games when you play teams like City. But for me it felt that in this game today we were most competitive compared to all the other games."
But here's where it gets controversial—can a team truly be 'competitive' against a squad as loaded as City's, or is that just managerial spin? Many fans might argue that the scoreline tells the real story, while others appreciate Glasner's positive outlook as a way to motivate his players. What do you think—is this an example of silver-lining thinking, or a genuine step forward for Palace? Share your thoughts in the comments!
On the injury front, Daichi Kamada exited the pitch with what appeared to be a hamstring strain. Glasner described it as occurring when Kamada overextended his knee upon landing, overstretching the hamstring since he hadn't suffered a muscle issue before. "It looks like his hamstring. When he landed, he over-stretched his knee, and that means the hamstring got the full stretch because he never had any muscle injury before. It was just an incident and he can hardly walk. It looks pretty bad. But he will have a scan tomorrow, then we will know more. I think we will lose him for a couple of weeks, but it's a chance for other players to step up." This offers opportunities for squad depth to shine, a common theme in football where injuries test team resilience.
Today for me it's just the result that’s disappointing, everything else I could really live very well with
—Oliver Glasner
Looking ahead to a demanding schedule of three games in six days across different competitions—starting with KuPS Kuopio—Glasner remained upbeat. "There are many positives. Today for me it's just the result that’s disappointing, everything else I could really live very well with. But now it's preparing for KuPs [Kuopio] and then of course it's a little bit tricky. Honestly, I am now 51 and I’ve never had two games within 48 hours! So we have to deal with it and we will find the best solution. And then we’ll go to Arsenal, playing on the 23rd [December], and we’ll try to win and qualify for the semi-finals in the EFL Cup. Then two days off for everyone, and enjoying Christmas before we start the second part of the Christmas party!"
And this is the part most people miss—the brutal fixture congestion around holidays can drain teams, yet Glasner sees it as a learning curve. Controversially, some might say pushing players this hard risks more injuries like Kamada's, potentially derailing a season. Do you agree that managers should prioritize rest over relentless schedules, or is this the competitive edge needed in modern football? We'd love to hear your opinions—agree, disagree, or add your own take below!
- First-team (https://www.cpfc.co.uk/teams/first-team)
