Talk over Oliver Glasner’s future has overshadowed Jorgen Strand Larsen taking on his old club when Crystal Palace face Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Norweigan striker left the Premier League’s rock-bottom side on deadline day earlier this month.
The Eagles spent a club-record £48m to bring Strand Larsen to Selhurst Park. He bagged his first two goals for his new side in a 3-2 loss to Burnley last weekend.
Palace are enduring a nightmare period that has led to speculation growing over Glasner. The club reportedly discussed letting him go on Friday before his contract expires in June.
Sutton predicts Larsen winner
Strand Larsen made the move to South London despite Jean-Philippe Mateta failing a medical ahead of a proposed move to AC Milan. The French striker returned to Palace but is recovering from a knee injury.
That means the Norweigan will lead the line against Rob Edwards’ men today. He spent 18 months with Wolves, scoring 20 goals and recording 7 assists in 64 games.
Chris Sutton has given his prediction of how he sees the game panning out. The former Blackburn Rovers striker reckons Strand Larsen will be the difference maker, writing for BBC Sport:
“I can see this game being all about Jorgen Strand Larsen, following his £48m move from Wolves to Palace at the end of the January transfer window. Palace still need the points and I would not be surprised if he has a say in the outcome – let’s go for him to score the winner.”
Sutton went with a 2-1 win to Palace, which is much-needed amid a disastrous run of form. Glasner’s side have won just one of 15 games and were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against Bosnian minnows Zrinjski Mostar midweek.
A Strand Larsen winner would certainly lift the mood at Selhurst Park amid tension growing between Glasner and fans. He told supporters calling for his head to “stay humble” and remember “where they came from.”
Glasner won’t be in charge next season, and he might not even last until the end of his contract. When Strand Larsen signed with the South Londoners, he knew the Austrian was leaving in June.
‘Amazing’ – Strand Larsen on Palace move
Palace were in the market for a new striker with Mateta looking set to join Milan. They turned to Strand Larsen, who was part of a struggling Wolves side all but certain to suffer relegation.
Strand Larsen’s brace against Burnley means he’s already scored more goals for the Eagles than his former club this season. The poor collective form shown by Edwards’ side took its toll on the Norweigan.
The 26-year-old spoke about his deadline day move and how it came to fruition. He told the club’s official website:
“I never wanted to go anywhere abroad, and as soon as my agent called me about Crystal Palace, I thought ‘amazing’. It’s a great club with good history. They won the FA Cup last year, and this year there is a lot of quality throughout the team.”
Larsen has relocated to South London, and he is excited about his downtime in his new home:
“I’m also looking forward to living in the city, with a change of location. I’ll feel like there will be lots to do away from the game, going for walks and just distracting myself from football when the time is right.“
He added:
“So it’s cool to come and play here. I know, as well, as an away player, that South London is a difficult place to visit – and I want to be part of a side that keeps that up. I just want to run my boots off for the team.”
Larsen will be eager to add to his tally for Palace when they take on Wolves. He will soon be competing with Mateta for a starting berth in Glasner’s side once the Frenchman has returned from injury.
