Crystal Palace Unable To Handle Newcastle United's Intensity In Heavy Defeat

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Oliver Glasner admitted that Crystal Palace struggled against Newcastle United's speed and direct approach in their 5-0 loss at St James' Park. This defeat followed a 5-2 loss to Manchester City, marking the first time since February 1935 that Palace conceded five goals in consecutive matches across all competitions. It also equaled the heaviest defeat in Glasner's managerial career.

Newcastle took a commanding 4-0 lead by halftime, with Marc Guehi scoring an own goal and Eberechi Eze missing a penalty. "I think Newcastle were excellent, and have shown this in the last few weeks," Glasner told BBC Match of the Day. "We couldn't deal with their intensity, directness and pace. When we had the situation to get into the game, it didn't work."

The Eagles have now experienced back-to-back defeats after a seven-game unbeaten streak. Glasner acknowledged that when his team doesn't perform at its best, teams like Newcastle and Manchester City are superior. He stated, "Sometimes, you don't have the right answer. We've changed nothing, but things aren't working any more." He emphasized focusing on basics to regain strength.

Guehi became only the second player in Premier League history to score own goals both home and away against the same opponent in a single season. Jamie Carragher was the first to do so against Tottenham in 1998-99. Meanwhile, Eze's missed penalty was Palace's first failure from the spot since Wilfried Zaha's miss against Nottingham Forest in November 2022.

Eze had previously been successful with his penalties, as Palace had converted their last seven attempts before this miss. Guehi defended his teammate by saying, "I can't remember the last time Eze missed a penalty," adding that when he scores, no one comments. The captain urged everyone to move forward from this setback.

Glasner expressed that sometimes it's better not to overanalyze such games and simply move on. He said, "There are some days when nothing works, and at the same time, everything worked for Newcastle." He plans to reflect on what changes can be made moving forward without assigning blame.

The focus now shifts to rebuilding confidence by concentrating on fundamentals that previously brought success. Glasner aims to assess what minor adjustments can be made while maintaining honesty about their current form.