After just three games in the job, Oliver Glasner will be reviewing Crystal Palace’s academy players to find potential first-team players.
Crystal Palace have a talented group of youngsters currently at Copers Cope and Oliver Glasner will likely look to utilise the academy through his reign.
Despite not doing so yet, long-term Glasner will definitely be keen to offer talented youngsters a direct route to the first team.
Now one academy player has staked his claim for a first-team call-up after a hattrick display in U21 action.
Here’s what happened…
Luke Plange sends Glasner a message with hattrick
On Monday night, Crystal Palace took on Aston Villa in U21 action and the game saw the Eagles walk out 4-2 winners thanks to a hattrick from Luke Plange and also a goal from Trialist.
Plange opened scoring in the sixth minute before Trialist made it 2-0 a minute later.
It was then the end of the first half before Plange made it 3-0 and got his brace. A fourth was added by Plange for his hattrick despite Villa having pulled one back therefore making it 4-1.
Villa pulled another back but it was academic at that point as Palace walked out 4-2 winners in the game.
An impressive victory in which Plange was the standout for Palace as he sent a message to Glasner which could see him handed a chance up front for Palace.
Luke Plange stakes claim for Crystal Palace call-up
Plange spent the first half of the season on loan at Carlise where he only managed two goals in 22 appearances.
This saw him recalled to the Palace academy in early January where he has scored four goals in three games since returning.
This goal-scoring form at U21 level could tempt Glasner into giving him a shot toward the end of the season with a cameo or starting him altogether.
At 21 years old, Plange is a now-or-never player at Palace as he can’t remain in the youth teams forever, so if he continues to score, Glasner should try him out before making a decision.
