Oliver Glasner has aimed a subtle dig at Tottenham Hotspur while congratulating Eberechi Eze on winning the Premier League title with Arsenal. The Crystal Palace manager spoke ahead of the final day of the season, where his side hosts the newly crowned champions at Selhurst Park.
Glasner Praises Eze's Decision
Eze joined Arsenal last summer for £67.5 million from Crystal Palace, choosing the Gunners over Tottenham, who were also keen on signing the England international. The 27-year-old has now become a Premier League winner in his debut season at the Emirates. Glasner did not hide his approval of Eze's choice, stating: 'Also a special congrats to Eberechi, I think he’s taken the right decision to go to Arsenal and not to another club.'
Arsenal's Title Triumph
Arsenal secured their first Premier League title in 22 years, ending Manchester City's dominance. Glasner offered his congratulations to Mikel Arteta and his squad: 'First of all I want to congratulate Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, his players, staff, for a huge achievement of winning the title after 22 years, it’s a fantastic job they have done.' He emphasized that Arsenal deserved the trophy, noting that the title race was decided over the entire season rather than on the final day.
Rotation Concerns Ahead of Conference League Final
With Palace set to face Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on Wednesday, Glasner is considering rotating his squad for the Arsenal match. The manager admitted he is undecided on the extent of changes, weighing factors such as the hot weather and the need to keep players in rhythm. 'I change my opinion three times a day right now, from full rotation, to no rotation, to half rotation,' Glasner revealed.
He recalled negative experiences with heavy rotation earlier this season, particularly after the Conference League match against KuPS, which was followed by a poor performance at Leeds. 'I don’t think we will rotate 11 players but it makes sense for a few to see how they are playing 45 minutes each, making two or three subs at half-time, staying in rhythm,' he explained.
Glasner's Light-Hearted Prediction
In a lighter moment, Glasner joked about predicting Arsenal's title win, referencing Palace's role in recent final-day deciders. 'Honestly, I think it was pretty clear before the season started that this would happen because last year we played on the final matchday the league winner, which was Liverpool, and then this year it was Arsenal, so it was clear it was Arsenal… or us!' he said with a laugh.
As Palace prepare to face Arsenal, Glasner's comments have added an extra layer of intrigue to the match, with fans eager to see how both teams approach the game given their respective priorities.
