Crystal Palace

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Crystal Palace have "got enough" in their side to not be sitting in the Premier League's bottom three, says former defender Gary Cahill.

The Eagles have had a difficult start to the season, taking just three points from their opening seven games.

They currently sit 18th in the table and are still awaiting their first league win having managed three draws and fours losses so far.

It is a stark contrast to how they finished the last campaign, where they won seven of Oliver Glasner's first 13 league games, including four of the final five.

"I look at the players in there and there's enough to not be sat where they're sat at this moment in time in the league," Cahill told the Planet Premier League podcast.

"I've certainly been someone who is just waiting for them to start bumping up the league, so I'm not quite sure what is going on there.

"Maybe going down to the momentum side of things, when things are not going right for you, you are almost wondering when the next point is going to come? When is the next win going to come?

"I think in that moment is when you have got to work extra hard to get yourself out of there. But they have certainly got enough to not be sat where they are at the moment."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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There is no doubting the importance that Eberechi Eze has to Crystal Palace.

It could be argued that the reliance on him went up after Michael Olise departed for Bayern Munich, leaving Eze as the chief creator for the Eagles - but he has had a difficult start to this campaign.

Before the match against Liverpool, which Palace lost 1-0, manager Oliver Glasner was talking up Eze's performances and said he "didn't understand" why the forward was not in the latest England squad.

Glasner went on to say that if things had fallen differently for Eze that he could have had five or six goals ahead of that game.

That theme continued in the Liverpool match and Eze missed a big chance when the Eagles were behind that could have salvaged a much-needed point for his side.

After the defeat, which left the Eagles in the bottom three going into the international break, Glasner said he will "support" Eze through this difficult period as the player will be the one thinking about the missed opportunities.

Palace play against Nottingham Forest in their first game back. If they are to start getting positive results, they need Eze back to his best as an Eze that's in form transforms this Eagles team.

Crystal Palace will step up their pursuit of Hammarby's 18-year-old Ivorian forward Bazoumana Toure, who is also of interest to Manchester United and Celtic. (Give Me Sport, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Former manager Mark Warburton talks to The Football News Show about how managers can deal with mental health struggles while working at a club and what support there is available to them.

Watch The Football News Show's Mental Health special

Alex Pewter
Fan writer

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If the national consensus was for Crystal Palace to be outmanned, outgunned, and outperformed against Liverpool on Saturday, the predictions were misplaced.

Despite a spirited display, even in defeat, the main talking point centred on a player that Oliver Glasner lost within the open 20 minutes to a non-contact injury.

Daniel Munoz, the tonic to the club's enduring issue at right-back, has exceeded expectations since his arrival in January, with his engine on the right flank.

However his injury, a suspected hip/abductor issue, cracks open a known potential weakness in the squad. Without suitable senior wingback options in reserve, at least in an attacking sense, Glasner will immediately be scrambling for a temporary fix.

Neither Tyrick Mitchell nor Nathaniel Clyne, the latter playing in relief for Munoz, came away with any faults with their defensive work. Mitchell, in particular, coped well with the looming threat of Mo Salah.

Yet, both suffered from inaccuracy in possession. In a game of fine margins, the passing windows were tighter against Liverpool than usual, and often quickly slammed shut on wayward deliveries.

While the Mitchell passing performance can be written off as a poor day, without Munoz the team has no real alternative for his attacking presence down the right.

In reserve, aside from Nathaniel Clyne, or the option of Ismaila Sarr in a slightly unfamiliar role that he has filled to close some games, the club is limited to under-21 players as alternatives.

Would this loss of Munoz justify a tactical change or a shift to a back four? Glasner has time to consider his options with an international break between now and the Nottingham Forest match. Yet, questions of recruitment and squad building will persist given how avoidable this situation appeared to be.

Find more from Alex Pewter at FYP podcast, external

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A VAR related question was put to chief football writer Phil McNulty on Monday's Q&A.

@nubiblue on 'X' asked: Is the new improved VAR working? To me it continues to favour certain clubs.

Phil answered: First of all, I don't believe VAR favours certain clubs and quite honestly, I've not noticed too much difference or huge improvement.

Maybe a little less interference but I confess I lost a lot of faith in VAR after initially being a strong advocate.

I would be happy with semi-automated offside and line technology.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Palace fans

Trevor: For the second game in a row we were denied an obvious penalty (is VAR becoming just an enhanced offside checker?) That aside, I thought we did enough to have got at least a point. Chalobah had a decent debut. Lacroix is improving every game. We keep giving the ball away and had several great opportunities to score. Frustrating but room for optimism.

Moggy: Liverpool were nothing special and we couldn't take advantage of that. Should have equalised at least. Hughes was great when he came on. Agree that Glasner still hasn't decided on his best XI.

Gavin: So frustrating. Woeful in the first half, losing duels and so many passes going astray. Better second half, but Eze guilty of missing our best chance, which could have gained us a point. Better selections, but Nketiah too deep to have an effective impact. Basics need to be better for us to compete and to secure victories in the Premier League.

Gilly: Tough start to the season for Palace but there are glimmers of hope. But confidence and fire in the belly seems lacking. There are new combinations and players getting used to each other. Given time, I believe it can come right but the longer the lack of goals and wins goes on the more the confidence and belief drops. Hard times. Character needed.

Liverpool fans

Kev: Hard-fought win and made harder by not scoring more, especially in the first half. Overall we probably deserved it and it's very pleasing to go into the international break top of the league.

Stuart: Lucky not to concede again and that luck will run out sooner or later. Will Salah play every minute of every game? We need him fresh and firing at the end of the season. He should be subbed for his and our own good.

Vardon: A win is a win, but it was far less comfortable at times than it should have been. The injuries overshadow the result. We're going into a very difficult run of fixtures without our first-choice goalkeeper and Mac Allister is pivotal to our midfield. This will test our mettle and hamper our chances of winning the Premier League.

Simon: We should have been out of sight by half-time. Tried to pass the ball into the net rather than shooting on sight. Over-confidence and complacency set in and we allowed Palace into the game. A better team would have punished us. Was glad to hear the final whistle.

Liverpool have joined Tottenham and Newcastle United in the race to sign attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 3-2 Fulham

• Everton 0-0 Newcastle

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Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, speaking to MOTD about whether his side should have had a penalty: "Absolutely I saw it after the game. I didn't see it during the game and for me it was a clear foul. VAR had to intervene but they didn't."

On his side's performance: "Second half we did really well. First half Liverpool showed why maybe at the moment they are the best team, not just in England but also Europe.

"We showed a great reaction in the second half, we created chances but did not take them. We also didn't get the penalty. The second half gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.

"I don't expect that we have so many chances all over the game because they are very well organised, very good defending and don't concede goals. We had a lot in the second half and that is what we have to continue.

"We have to stop talking about last season. It was a different squad. Now everybody is focused 100%. We see we are always close, we were close to get the result against Liverpool. We can also be the opposite. This is the Premier League, this is where we have to improve."

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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Crystal Palace head into the international break in the relegation zone as they remain without a win so far in the Premier League.

While they were second best to Liverpool in the first half of Saturday's game, there were plenty of positives to take from their second-half display.

They were much more aggressive in attack, with Jean-Philippe Mateta's introduction just before the hour mark in particularly proving pivotal to their improved display.

The forward was making his 100th appearance in the Premier League and provided an energy they had been missing in the first half.

Palace need wins and quickly but how they performed for second 45 minutes against Liverpool provides a platform for them to build from.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Crystal Palace’s defeat to Liverpool means that they have gone seven Premier League games without a win.

It’s the fifth time that Palace have done that in the Premier League and will leave an uneasy feeling heading into the international break.

The Eagles started the game brightly and had a goal ruled out for offside after Eddie Nketiah put the ball in the net.

For the rest of the first half Palace were under pressure from a dominant Liverpool side and made a number of mistakes which left the home crowd frustrated.

They were better after half time and had their best chance to equalise through Eberechi Eze but his effort was straight at substitute goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros.

Glasner made changes as the Eagles continued to push for a goal to get level but apart from Eze’s shot on goal they weren’t able to make a clear opportunity.

There were signs that were positive and Palace did create chances but there are questions about whether Glasner knows his best XI yet.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

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What did you make of Liverpool’s display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Follow reaction and read the match report

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 12:30

• Arsenal v Southampton

• Brentford v Wolves

• Leicester v Bournemouth

• Man City v Fulham (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• West Ham v Ipswich

• Everton v Newcastle - 17:30 (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-off 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says he does not understand why forward Eberechi Eze has not been named in Lee Carsley's latest 25-man England squad, after being called up for international duty in September.

"I don't understand why he isn't announced for England because he is fantastic for us," Glasner said. "The difference is that he has missed all of his chances and he could have five or six goals at the moment.

"He had the disallowed goal at Brentford at the start of the season. He had the crossbar-post shot against West Ham where one inch decides. And he had two big chances against Manchester United. He is so close."

The 26-year-old was part of the England Euro 2024 squad that reached the final of the competition, but has scored just one goal so far this season in the Premier League.

Glasner added: "He plays really well, he invests a lot, he has all the chances - and this is what I talk to him [about].

"He wants it. He says: 'I have the chances and so many situations, but I don't have the number of goals I could have.' We encourage him and we tell him: 'Come on, stay cool.'

"The chances he had against Manchester United at the end of the game - from 100 he scores 98. It isn't that he has to train, he can do it.

"Just stay relaxed and work for the team - these things you are able to do and these things will come. This is why I don't understand why he is not announced for England."

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week seven, he takes on Will Champion and Jonny Buckland from Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, came out on Friday.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

It is always a balancing act for clubs in the Champions League and the Premier League, but especially so for Liverpool here, away from home and with the early kick-off.

For Arne Slot's side it is just about getting a win, however they do it, going into the international break.

They got over the line against Bologna on Wednesday without being at their best and, while I expect this to be close, I do see them getting the job done against a Crystal Palace team who are in a bit of bother really.

Along with Wolves, Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich, the Eagles are one of five teams without a league win so far.

Oliver Glasner got some great results when he took charge last season but he has got to be careful - at this rate, Roy Hodgson will be back in charge by Christmas.

Will and Jonny's prediction: Palace have got so much ability going forward, but they are not scoring - they have only managed five goals in their first six games. Liverpool will be too strong. 0-2

Read the rest of their predictions, and have your own say here

Six games into the Premier League season and Crystal Palace are one of five teams yet to register a win. But having finished last season so strongly, what is to blame?

Matt Watts from the Town Called Palace podcast joins The Football News Show to explain how the club's late activity in the summer transfer window means the Eagles need more time before it clicks.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner expects midfielder Adam Wharton to withdraw from the England Under-21 squad for October's matches.

The 20-year-old pulled out of the Young Lions squad in September because he was managing an ongoing groin problem, and he looks set to do the same again.

The side have Euro 2025 qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan this month, with Wharton already named in Ben Futcher's 24-man squad.

Wharton had a short pre-season, after being included in the England senior squad that reached the Euro 2024 final, and he is now having to work his way back to full fitness from that groin issue.

"We are in talks with the U21s. He will go there for a medical assessment, but we expect that he goes back again because he is still struggling. It is about managing him as good as possible," Glasner said.

"We know it's not the best situation, but there is not a moment where we can give him a three, four or five-week break.

"It is really just managing him, therefore it could help us if the England U21s support him as well."

Martin Dougan
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Liverpool (kick-off 12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Defender Trevoh Chalobah could return but Matheus Franca is injured again: "A tough situation for him and I’m not expecting him to play many games in 2024 for us. Chalobah has one more training week with us and he looked quite good. He looks close to starting."

• Adam Wharton remains an injury doubt but Glasner confirmed the midfielder will join up with the England Under-21 side next week: "We are in talks with [them] because he is still struggling. It's not the best situation - we have to manage it. It would help if the England U21’s do what they can to get him ready. He had a great game at Everton and a very good training week. We know his situation and we have to look after him."

• On Palace's poor start to the season: "It's unfair for anyone to expect us to win six out of seven games. I could give you many reasons but overall its unrealistic that we will win every game. At the moment, we are critical of ourselves. We are not in the best shape. It's hard work - nothing happens on its own."

• However, he feels they are close to turning around their form: "I have confidence because I see the players working hard to get into shape. We have to give players like [Eddie] Nketiah time and any other new players. We have to be more consistent over the entire game."

• The manager expects difficult moments against Liverpool: "Tomorrow, we will need a big heart. They have fantastic players and a new manager doing a fantastic job. Their players look hungry and ambitious but we want to play forward and we want to score because if we don’t do that, we don’t win."

• On the role Selhurst Park can play: "We will need the home support. There will be moments in the game when we will need to fight and suffer. If you suffer, we need people who support us."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news