Shot in the Aye DEBUT WIN
JORDAN GIVES NEW BOSS OLLIE
OLIVER GLASNER may have told Crystal Palace fans not to expect a David Copperfield show – but they will just be happy he’s no Frank De Boer.
The Eagles’ new boss took just one game to better the man Jose Mourinho dubbed the Premier League’s worst ever manager.
De Boer lasted just four winless and goalless games before being shown the door at Selhurst Park in 2017.
The circumstances of Glasner’s arrival were unfortunate, with his appointment brought forward after Roy Hodgson was taken ill.
But he could not have hand-picked a better opening opponent. Hapless Burnley gave the Austrian a huge helping hand when Josh Brownhill was sent off after 35 minutes. The Burnley skipper was redcarded for pulling down Jefferson Lerma on the edge of the box after being given a hospital pass by goalkeeper James Trafford.
Palace laboured to break down the 10 men without the injured Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise until Glasner finally chucked on two more attack-minded players in Matheus Franca and Naouirou Ahamada.
It sparked an 11-minute spell which brought three goals, with defender Chris Richards heading in his first for the club in the 68th minute before Jordan Ayew and a Jean-Philippe penalty made it a winning start for the new boss.
Glasner was given a traditional Selhurst Park entrance of the Dave Clark Five’s Glad All Over.
Palace had only managed one set-piece goal under Hodgson but almost scored with their first of the Glasner era.
A short-corner routine was played out to Lerma on the edge of the box but the midfielder blazed over the bar.
That’s one area Glasner will look to improve, as well as his stated aim to make his side a greater goal threat by getting more players into the penalty area. Still, Trafford was only tested
from an
Odsonne Edouard far-post effort and a couple of shots from offside moves before the Clarets keeper got his captain sent off.
There were no complaints from Burnley, especially after Edouard curled the resulting free-kick over the crossbar.
The hosts came out with renewed energy after the break and the contest changed when sub Ahamada’s snapshot was turned away for a corner.
From the flag-kick, Ayew swung in a cross for the unmarked Richards to nod in.
Glasner’s other replacement Franca crossed for Ayew to tap in at the far post and was then was tripped by Vitinho to win the 79th- minute penalty converted by Mateta.
Just to show this was Glasner’s day, David Fofana had an 87th-minute consolation effort harshly ruled out for offside.