Crystal Palace returned to winning ways after beating Burnley 3-0 in the Premier League on Saturday at Selhurst Park.
Olivier Glasner became only the second manager after Alan Pardew who picked up a win in the Premier League in his first game in charge.
Palace didn’t create enough clear-cut chances in the first half but they controlled the game better after Josh Brownhill was shown a straight red card.
Chris Richards broke the deadlock with a diving header, but it was youngster Matheus Franca who made a real difference. The Brazilian attacker, who came on as a substitute, provided an assist for Jordan Ayew. He was then brought down by Vitinho inside the box, and from a resulting penalty, Jean-Philippe Mateta scored.
Glasner was pleased with the performance of Franca, and Arsenal legend Ian Wright has now hailed him as a “really exciting” player.
Speaking on BBC Match of the Day, Wright says Palace have got some good young players including the “brilliant” 19-year-old attacker.
“There are good players there (Palace). Matheus Franca, a young Brazilian player, 19, brilliant player, really exciting,” said Wright.
Crystal Palace need stability
Glasner looks like a brilliant appointment from Palace, and the club must be patient with him. Wright is spot on that the Eagles have some very good players and there’s no reason why they can’t finish high up the table.
At the moment, the focus should be to win as many games as possible and bring a positive vibe back to the club. Glasner loves to play high-intensity football but it’s not ideal to change the style during the middle of the season.
There has to be a gradual step-by-step change. The summer window will be crucial because several clubs could be interested in signing players like Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze, but it is not Glasner’s immediate headache.
Crystal Palace will face Tottenham Hotspur away from home in their next game, and it promises to be a cracker.
