Crystal Palace fans have been far from pleased with the performance Adam Wharton put in against Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.
During the early Premier League kick-off, Oliver Glasner thought his side had gotten off to the best start possible as Eddie Nketiah put the ball in the net after mere seconds had been played.
The goal was ruled offside, and from then on Liverpool had a real hold over the game and took the lead in the 8th minute through Diogo Jota.
The first-half performance was awful from Crystal Palace and once again it was a shadow of the team Glasner turned the Eagles into last season – however encouragement can be taken from the second-half outing.
In a disappointing 1-0 loss, much of the team struggled but it was Adam Wharton who really struggled.
Adam Wharton struggles vs Liverpool
This season has started badly for Wharton and he has looked less experienced than last season – with injuries playing a part in his struggles.
Against Liverpool, these issues continued with Ryan Gravenberch dominant in midfield – as he has been so often this season.
Adam Wharton stats vs Liverpool
| Stat | Vs. Liverpool |
| Minutes | 60 |
| Passing | 17/22 (77%) |
| Touches | 25 |
| Accurate Long Balls | 1/3 (33%) |
| Dispossessed | 1 |
| Tackling | 0/1 (0%) |
| Defensive actions | 2 |
| Recoveries | 5 |
| Duels | 1/6 (16%) |
As seen from his stats in the game, Wharton was miles off it and looks a completely different player to the one who earned an England call-up for Euro 2024
Wharton is clearly not fit to be playing, and after the game, there were countless Crystal Palace fans making their complaints known.
Crystal Palace fans all make one point about Eagles’ No.20
Wharton has struggled so far this season, and after his latest outing, many fans have had enough and want to see the young midfielder rested until he is fit to play at the level we all know he is capable of.
One fan wrote: “Wharton is clearly not fit and we should not be starting him hopefully after this international break he comes back fresh”.
Another fan was left angry, writing: “Just sub him off, and don’t play him again until he’s ready. It’s not helping us on the pitch at all, and the injury is just getting worse/not healing.”
“Wharton needs to come off. He’s not fit, I’d rather just give him a prolonged rest and have him come back at his best. What’s the point? He’s not helping like this, it won’t help his confidence, just rest him”, argued a third.
Another fan on X made a concerning comparison: “Wharton playing with an injury reminds me of Wenger was on with Wilshere, we all know how it ends.”
Based on fans’ reactions, there seems to be a unanimous agreement that Wharton must be rested going forward.
