‘Risky and dangerous’ – Crystal Palace boss had no intention of resting key players ahead of FA Cup Final
Glasner Refuses to Rest Stars Ahead of FA Cup Final as Palace Defeat Spurs
Oliver Glasner made it clear he had no plans to rest any of his key players ahead of next weekend’s FA Cup Final, as Crystal Palace secured a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Eberechi Eze, a Greenwich native, scored both goals at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, helping the Eagles build momentum ahead of their historic clash with Manchester City at Wembley, where they’ll compete for their first major trophy.
Despite the looming final, Glasner fielded a full-strength lineup against Spurs.
“Maintaining rhythm is the most important thing,” he said. “It’s a different situation for Tottenham—they played on Thursday night, while we played on Monday.”
He explained that going 12 days without a match could be more harmful than playing, adding: “Every footballer knows that fitness and confidence come from matches, not just training. That’s why we never considered doing anything differently.”
Glasner noted a similar approach before their FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal, where he made three changes after the hour mark.
“We had to make one additional change today because Jefferson Lerma had some ankle pain at half-time, but other than that, everything went to plan,” he added.
