Crystal Palace Back On Track Under Glasner As They Head In The Right Direction

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Crystal Palace fought back to defeat 10-man Tottenham 3-1, lifting Crystal Palace to 13th in the Premier League on 38 points and keeping European qualification hopes alive, with Oliver Glasner praising the direction of the team after a first-half surge turned the contest and shifted recent talk away from relegation worries.

The match swung after Dominic Solanke put Spurs ahead and Ismaila Sarr saw an earlier finish ruled out for a marginal offside, but Micky van de Ven’s straight red card for pulling back Sarr changed the momentum, with Sarr scoring the resulting penalty before Jorgen Strand Larsen and Sarr again struck deep in first-half stoppage time.

Crystal Palace have now claimed three wins from the last five Premier League matches, matching the total from the previous 14 league games, which followed a difficult spell through December and January, and Glasner believes recent displays show clear progress while still demanding higher standards from Crystal Palace in key moments.

Glasner told TNT Sports that Crystal Palace produced the response desired after early setbacks. "I am very happy with the first-half performance," Glasner told TNT Sports. "Even before we conceded the goal, we played well, and then I really loved the reaction because it was only one or two minutes before with the disallowed goal. It was a very tight offside decision. The reaction was great, scoring three goals before half-time and controlling the game. It was really nice to watch, but we have to be self-critical."

The head coach felt Crystal Palace lost some control after the interval despite the advantage, pointing to set-piece pressure and second balls as concerns, explaining that Tottenham went more direct and Crystal Palace did not always match that shift, which Glasner said had been discussed in the dressing room during the break before the second half.

Glasner highlighted how Crystal Palace allowed Spurs too many free-kicks and corners around the area and lacked edge without the ball, stating that Crystal Palace circulated possession safely but were not decisive enough in duels and loose-ball situations, something Glasner insists must improve if European ambitions are to stay realistic.

Crystal Palace’s recent upturn has moved the club to 38 points, six behind Brentford in seventh place, leaving a late push for a European place still possible, and Glasner acknowledged the rapid change in outside expectations, saying: "In the last weeks, I was asked about relegation, and now it's Europe. We will focus now on gaining momentum. We are going in the right direction and are back on track."

Adam Wharton delivered two key assists in the first half, first finding Jorgen Strand Larsen and then sending a precise pass that split Tottenham’s defence for Sarr’s second, and that creative display made Wharton the first Crystal Palace player with at least two assists before half-time in a top-flight match since Michael Olise against Sheffield United in January 2024.

Wharton told TNT Sports that Crystal Palace’s ambition matches the current league position. "The target is to aim as high as possible, the gaffer has been saying it," Wharton said. "The league is crazy this year. If we take each game as it comes, we have a good chance of climbing the table."

The midfielder also reflected on personal development within this Crystal Palace Premier League campaign, insisting that standards remain high. "There is a lot of room for improvement [in my game], and I'm the first to critique myself. It's never going to be perfect; I'm just trying to work hard every day with the gaffer and with my team to keep improving."

The comeback at Tottenham underlined Crystal Palace’s recent growth under Glasner, with clinical attacking play before half-time, disciplined defending for long spells and Wharton’s influence in possession all contributing to a result that strengthens Crystal Palace’s Premier League position while maintaining a realistic, measured outlook on any late European challenge.