Matheus Franca was the star of the show as Crystal Palace recorded a 5-1 win over Swindon Town in the first friendly of the summer.
Pierre Sage defeated former Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway at the Academy in his first match since replacing Oliver Glasner, watching on as Eddie Nketiah scored twice in the first half before a hat-trick from the aforementioned Brazilian in the second half.
It was fantastic to see Franca net three goals, and while his efforts may have only been against a League Two side, there is evidence to suggest Sage has already found the key to unlocking the South American.
Thoughts on the win over Swindon? 🤔
Joel Drakes-Thomas was absolutely fantastic ⭐️
Matheus Franca may well be an out-and-out striker
Glasner and Roy Hodgson never used Franca in a central role once whilst managing the 22-year-old at Crystal Palace.
All of his 19 appearances for the Eagles have come on either the left or right flank, resulting in a return of just one goal and two assists.
However, while playing in Brazil as a striker, Franca played six games and scored two goals.
Of course, that is hardly remarkable, but it is a clear improvement to how the former Flamengo star performs out wide.
Even his one and only goal while on loan at Vasco da Gama last season came from a clever give-and-go in a central area.
In his first match in charge of Franca, Sage deployed the Brazilian as the lone frontman flanked by Joel Drakes-Thomas and Brennan Johnson, a position which seemed to suit him to perfection as he bagged three goals in 45 minutes.
The £26m man does not possess the explosive pace needed to be a winger in the Premier League, but he does appear to have the intelligent movement and close control required to be effective centrally, along with the finishing ability.
Does Matheus Franca have a future at Crystal Palace? 🇧🇷
While Franca will obviously need to repeat his heroics against better opposition to be taken more seriously, this first outing under Sage offers plenty of hope that he can finally succeed at Crystal Palace.
