Three things Oliver Glasner has worked on at Crystal Palace during the international break as Steve Parish makes his point

Crystal Palace’s 2-0 home defeat to Fulham just before the international break means they have only picked up seven points from 11 games so far this campaign, their second-lowest tally from their 11 full seasons since winning promotion back to the Premier League in the 2012-13 season. The total is only better than the four points earned in the 2013-14 and 2017-18 campaigns.

Austrian manager Oliver Glasner made the decision to work with a tight squad, and even though he made some signings to replace the likes of Michael Olise, Jordan Ayew, and Joachim Andersen, it’s fair to say none of those who arrived in the summer have really settled or made a significant difference.

The nature of the start to the season has left many questioning Glasner’s tactics, the squad’s morale, and even whether chairman Steve Parish backed him properly in the summer. However, there is no denying that the Eagles board brought in as many as seven players, including spending £30 million, and made a strong statement by turning down a £65 million bid from Newcastle for defender Marc Guehi. They also quickly dismissed any thoughts of selling Eberechi Eze in the summer, showing ambition.

So, ahead of what is without a doubt a pivotal game, the Europa League-winning manager with Eintracht Frankfurt has had almost two weeks to prepare for the match. Below is what sources at LondonWorld have reported he’s been up to as he prepares for the game.

Try to recover players

One of the things that will happen this weekend is that at least two players who missed the Fulham game will be back with the first team. There’s a strong chance that Chadi Riad, who has battled injuries since his arrival from Betis, will be back from the knee injury he’s been suffering. He’s played only two games for the club this season, one in the league against West Ham and the other in the League Cup against Norwich. With the defence struggling to keep clean sheets, his return will be welcomed. Eberechi Eze is also close to returning, as is Jefferson Lerma.

Keeping the confidence high

One of the reasons no one at Crystal Palace is panicking despite the results is simply the manager’s confidence that the team will be strong after the break. The injuries haven’t helped, and Glasner has spent every day at the training ground exuding confidence, aimed at ensuring the players are lifted. He is backed by data showing it’s only a matter of time before the form they ended last season with returns. Sources add that the manager has remained very calm as he goes about his work.

Adam Wharton chat

One of the players who impressed heavily last season was young England midfielder Adam Wharton. When he arrived from Blackburn Rovers last season , not many expected him to have the kind of season he did, which ended with a place in the England squad for the Euros.

He didn’t start the season well, as he played through pain that has now been resolved with an operation. While this game might come too early for him, his manager is keen to keep his spirits up and has been checking in on him to ensure he doesn’t feel lonely or frustrated.