Crystal Palace star Jordan Ayew received a host of praise after the Eagles’ win over Burnley on Saturday in what was Oliver Glasner’s first game in charge.
Oliver Glasner secured three points in his first game in charge of Crystal Palace as the Eagles beat Burnley 3-0 at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
The game was a must-win for Palace who have struggled for form all season, with Glasner handing the fans some early positives from his first fixture.
It was only the second time this year that the hosts have scored three goals in a match, telling of the positive attacking play that the Eagles were instructed to deliver against Vincent Kompany’s struggling side.
Having the Clarets sent down to ten men in the first half made the challenge easier to overcome however, there were still many bright takeaways to discuss after the win.
What Robbie Mustoe said about Jordan Ayew
It was goals from Chris Richards, Jordan Ayew and Jean-Philippe Mateta that settled the result for Palace on Saturday, with Ayew being singled out for his performance.
The Ghanaian forward received the highest match rating out of the squad with 9.5/10, via Sofascore, due to his goal, assist and general performance on the day.
When reflecting on the fixture, pundit Robbie Mustoe admitted on The 2 Robbies podcast that he thinks Ayew is “underappreciated” at Palace concerning the work he consistently does for the squad.
“Jordan Ayew by the way should get some sort of underappreciated award or something because he is underappreciated, he’s an important player for them.”
How useful Jordan Ayew is to Crystal Palace
Against Burnley, the 32-year-old epitomised just what his game is about, providing a constant threat and causing havoc for the Clarets’ defence to deal with.
As per Sofascore, Ayew completed 100% of his dribbles as well as totalling an impressive five key passes, suggesting that under Glasner’s guidance and in his formation, the forward could have a lot of fun.
It’s not only the attacking qualities that the Ghana international adds to Palace’s front line but also his tireless work rate, echoed by him winning nine ground duels against Burnley.
Mustoe’s comments are fair as while Ayew’s goal contributions aren’t staggering, the versatile forward offers so much to the lineup at times of need, attributes that can slip under the radar if the team aren’t getting the right results.
After his display against the Clarets, it will surely be difficult for Glasner not to start with Ayew next time out at Spurs although, the manager will have a big decision to make soon when his star forwards return from injury.
