Glasner quick to take off the Palace handbrake

PERHAPS the Crystal Palace DJ’s decision to blast out McFadden & Whitehead’s Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now at full time was a little premature. After all, Oliver Glasner’s reign is still very much in its infancy. But on an afternoon where it felt as though there was a new lease of life around Selhurst Park, the early signs were that Glasner’s got the groove after the Austrian’s first game as Palace boss ended in a 3-0 win over Burnley. The 49-year-old has only had three days on the training field with his new players but already he looks to have taken the handbrake off this side. A switch to 3-4-3 began at Everton during last Monday’s draw under the caretaker charge of Paddy McCarthy and continued here. In possession, that allowed Palace to switch to a 3-2-5 with full backs Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Munoz flying down the flanks to stretch Burnley’s defence.

The difference was clear as day. Palace have averaged 11 shots per game this season. On Saturday, they had 15. ‘We demanded more runs behind the back line of Burnley,’ said Glasner. ‘We played it to our wing-backs and then JP (Jean-Philippe Mateta) attacked the space in behind. This is what maybe they haven’t done before that often so this was nice to see.’ Burnley were a tough nut to crack, especially after Josh Brownhill’s 35th-minute red card for hauling down Jefferson Lerma following keeper James Trafford’s poor pass.

The same old issue — a lack of cutting edge — looked as though it could prove Palace’s Achilles’ heel again. But, with 68 minutes gone, Jordan Ayew crossed for Chris Richards, who headed home his first goal for the club and the first of the Glasner era. That goal broke Burnley’s spirit. Ayew doubled their lead before Mateta made it three from the penalty spot. CRYSTAL PALACE (3-4-3): Johnstone 6; Ward 6, Andersen 6.5 (Tomkins 90min), Richards 7.5; Munoz 7.5, Lerma 7, Wharton 8 (Ahamada 66, 6), Mitchell 6.5; AYEW 8.5 (Ozoh 90) Mateta 7, Edouard 6 (Franca 72, 7). Scorers: Richards 68, Ayew 71, Mateta 79 (pen). Booked: Wharton, Ayew, Mitchell. Manager: Oliver Glasner 8. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Trafford 4; Taylor 5 (Vitinho 75, 5), Esteve 5, O’Shea 5, Assignon 5.5; Odobert 5 (Benson 90), Brownhill 4, Berge 5, Gudmundsson 5 (Cork 90); Amdouni 5 (Cullen 37, 5.5), Fofana 5 (Rodriguez 90). Booked: Esteve. Sent off: Brownhill. Manager: Vincent Kompany 4. Referee: Lewis Smith 5. Attendance: 24,042.