Good evening, what a well-timed fixture for Sky to be showing on Monday Night Football: it’s Crystal Palace against Everton, and all eyes have been on the Croydon area today because Roy Hodgson has left his post and the Eagles have appointed Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner, 49.
Palace statement read: “Crystal Palace F.C. are pleased to confirm the appointment of Oliver Glasner as manager.
“The 49-year-old Austrian has signed a deal to become the Eagles’ boss until the end of the 2025/2026 season.”
Palace announced Hodgson’s departure just hours before their league game against Everton and said that the 76-year-old, who was hospitalised after falling ill during a training session on Thursday, was “out of hospital and doing well”.
Palace chairman Steve Parish said: “I’m delighted to welcome Oliver to the club. He has an outstanding record, and we believe he is the right manager to take the club forward at this pivotal stage.
“Wherever Oliver has gone so far in his managerial journey, success has been quick to follow, and we believe his ambition, as well as his exciting and attacking approach, is the perfect fit for getting the most from our talented young squad in the remainder of this Premier League season and beyond.”
With Palace 16th in the table there is no time like the present for them to start accruing some points. Not that Everton will be doing them any favours: Sean Dyche’s men need some goals.
Scoring continues to be the biggest issue for Dyche with just 26 in 24 matches, exacerbated by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s current lean spell of 18 games.
But the Toffees boss refuses to put any more pressure on his misfiring striker ahead of a must-win game for his side, with Palace just four points ahead of his 18th-placed team.
“It’s not about one player, it’s about all the team. Something will work for him,” he added.
“I think some of the performances have been very good, clean sheets among them and some points.
“There were a lot of challenges for the group but I think there are a lot of positive signs about what we are trying to do.
“We just need to score more goals and we all know that.
“The margins are important and we have to get on the right side of that, that’s the only thing which has been missing when we haven’t won. We’ve created chances and not scored goals.
“The idea of xG (expected goals) is all well and good but we can’t wait for it to happen. You have to make it happen and that’s the next step. I think we’re very close to that.”
