Exclusive: Crystal Palace heading into Liverpool clash 'to win it' as Oliver Glasner eyes change of fortunes

Despite a slow start to the season that has seen Crystal Palace fail to win in their opening six matches, manager Oliver Glasner remains upbeat and will continue to approach matches in a positive manner. Ahead of their next assignment against Liverpool, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, the Austrian is confident The Eagles will find their form sooner rather than later.

Oliver Glasner says Crystal Palace will approach their encounter with Liverpool with the intention of winning the game as he remains determined to kick-start his side’s season.

The Eagles are currently winless in the Premier League this season, having drawn three and lost three of their opening six matches.

Currently sat in the relegation zone, Palace welcome a Liverpool side who top the table with five wins from six to Selhurst Park in a match live on TNT Sports and discovery+ on Saturday.

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However, the home side will be encouraged by the fact they beat The Reds at Anfield in their last encounter in the spring, which was followed by wins against Manchester United, Newcastle and Aston Villa at the tail end of last season.

Glasner’s side have also held United and Chelsea to draws so far this campaign, and the Austrian manager told TNT Sports that refusing to change his approach when facing top sides is perhaps what gives his players the belief to perform in these big games.

“We're going always into the game to win it,” he stressed. “So regardless of which team we play, regardless if we play at home or away.”

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Palace’s win over Liverpool last time out came as The Eagles were finding their feet under Glasner, who had replaced Roy Hodgson just two months earlier.

Victory on Merseyside was just his second win in his first seven games in charge, but ultimately started a run that saw them win five of their following six remaining matches to end the season in 10th place – their joint-highest finish of the Premier League era.

“[It's] maybe a little bit easier to play as an underdog and expectations are low, and then you can just play,” he said of the Liverpool win, but acknowledged that the result provided the necessary belief for a strong finish to the campaign.

“In a moment where we have a lot of wins, you don't think about underdogs or favourites or whatever, you just go into the game, show how good you are, and then you play a little bit more free. And this is what we have to find and to get back.”

In Glasner’s 13 matches following his mid-season appointment, Palace won seven, picking up 24 points and scoring 29 goals from 21.15 xG. This season, however, they remain winless with just five goals from an xG of 7.56, according to Opta.

Possession-wise, however, Palace are seeing more of the ball with 51% possession per 90 minutes compared to a 43% average from Glasner’s matches last season.

For his part, the 50-year-old is refusing to rest on his laurels from last year and understands the challenge to get his side firing again, hopefully starting with Liverpool at the weekend.  

“When there is a break you have to prove yourself again,” he lamented. “So it never means because we had a great season last year, we will have a great season this year.

“It doesn't mean if you won the 100 meters in the Olympics four years ago, you will be the next gold medal winner in the Olympics again. You have four years to work hard to deserve it, and this is what we are doing now, and then we will get our results, we will get our performances, we will get our wins.”

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'Players want to improve'

Glasner is acutely aware of the need to improve and is confident he and his players will find the way to turn their fortunes around.

“I will say you get what you deserve," he said of the club's form this season. "With the same performances, we could have maybe two wins more. But it doesn't help us. So nobody will give us the points. Every game gives you information how you can improve, how you can develop, how you can progress. And this is when you win a game and when you lose a game.

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“Very often when you lose, everything seems to be very negative, but also when you lose, there are very positive moments, and sometimes the opposite is the same. You play terrible, but you win very lucky, and to be critical, to look at the performance.

“So I think the performances were okay, but not good enough to take the win. And this is what we have to improve. And what gives me confidence and trust is that I see the players, they want to improve, they want to get back into the best shape. And then this is what we're doing now. [We’re] very, very calm, very together, and then it will come.”

How to watch Crystal Palace v Liverpool?

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Southampton v Manchester United will be live on TNT Sports 1 with coverage from 11:00 UK time on Saturday, September 14, ahead of kick-off at 12:30.

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