GLASNER WILL PUT PALACE UNDER SPELL

OLIVER GLASNER admits he is not a magician but believes he can get Crystal Palace out of trouble without a magic wand - and maybe even aim for mid-table.

“I’m no David Copperfield,” said the new Palace boss. “It’s a challenge for all of us. But first impressions are really good. I’m a guy who always looks ahead and we are five points from the relegation places but also five or six from 11th.”

Former Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt manager Glasner, 49, revealed he had been in talks to take over at Palace while the team struggled under Roy Hodgson, winning just one league game in 2024. Hodgson’s sudden illness 10 days ago just sped up negotiations.

“First of all I’m really happy that Roy is doing well and is out of hospital,” the Austrian (top) said. “Sometimes things happen that aren’t planned and it wasn’t planned like this.

“There was no contract signed for summer but there were talks. We thought we had time because the honest plan was to finish the season with Roy as manager. I hoped to talk to him and use his experience but it was faster so we said ‘Come on, let’s do it’. But we’d both be pleased if Roy was healthy and sitting here.”

Glasner’s concern for the wellbeing of Hodgson, 76, is genuine. As a player with SV Ried he suffered a brain injury after a clash of heads in an Austrian league game and collapsed before a midweek Europa League match in Copenhagen.

“I had a scan and there was blood in my brain. My wife was told it was 50-50 to survive. This is why I spoke about Roy. It really comes from the bottom of my heart. I try to relax and remember that it’s important but it’s just football.”

That does not stop him getting emotional during games. “I’m used to sprinting down the touchline to celebrate with my players,” he said. “I was told that you can get punished for this.”

Vincent Kompany (above) insists his struggling Burnley side will show “fire in the belly” as they look to bounce back from their 5-0 thrashing against Arsenal.

The Clarets have won just once in their last 12 matches.

“We have to approach it that every game is a must-win,” he said.