Crystal Palace set an unwanted record in their Premier League history on Saturday afternoon, giving Oliver Glasner an insight into the work he must do to ensure the squad soon progresses.
Crystal Palace were deprived of their second win under Oliver Glasner on Saturday afternoon, as Luton Town visited Selhurst Park.
The Hatters arrived in the bottom three and were desperate to sway away from the relegation zone as the home straight of the 2023/24 campaign dawns, giving Palace a test in itself due to the desire of Rob Edwards’ side.
Jean-Philippe Mateta put Selhurst Park at ease after just 11 minutes, finishing a sublime chance with an audacious flick created by the work of Daniel Munoz on the right side.
Palace looked close to doubling their lead at times throughout the contest however, their inability to do so saw Luton snatch a 96th-minute equaliser through Cauley Woodrow to hand Glasner a hammer blow.
The record that Crystal Palace set against Luton Town
The Eagles were forced to settle for a single point just seconds from time, which not only left the squad and fans feeling deflated but set an unwanted record at the club.
By dropping two points in the 96th minute, Palace recorded their most ever points dropped from winning positions in the Premier League having dropped a staggering 18 points after taking the lead this term.
The loss of 18 points symbolises the most dropped by the Eagles in a single Premier League campaign which is particularly alarming considering that there are still 10 games remaining.
It was seen last week against Spurs as Glasner’s side held a 1-0 lead until the 77th minute, eventually losing the game 3-1 despite their efforts.
Oliver Glasner has a job on his hands at Crystal Palace
It must be recognised that Glasner has already made a positive impact on the squad he inherited from Roy Hodgson, with Palace playing more eccentric football and working well in the Austrian’s favoured formation.
The issue that the former Eintracht Frankfurt coach faces is ensuring that his players are capable of managing the game on the pitch when in an advantageous position.
Following the draw to Luton, pundit Shay Given was left “frustrated” by Palace’s lack of ability to play games out when in a winning position, which has so frequently been the problem this season.
It’s a significant issue that Glasner has not encouraged but must now solve, with the final 10 games crucial for Palace to push themselves further up the table in preparation for what the 2024/25 campaign may hold.
