- Crystal Palace star earns huge praise
- Oliver Glasner dubs Tyrick Mitchell ‘one of the best’
- English left-back is starring for the Eagles
Oliver Glasner has given a glowing verdict of Tyrick Mitchell who reached 200 appearances for Crystal Palace last weekend. The English left-back hit the milestone in a 2-1 comeback win over Newcastle United.
Mitchell marked the occasion with an assist, producing a fine cross which Jean-Philippe Mateta headed home. This came after he was on the scoresheet for just the sixth time in his senior career in a 3-0 win over Fiorentina.
The 26-year-old’s importance isn’t lost on any Palace fan who have watched him rise through the youth ranks and become a top Eagles star. His manager is also a massive supporter of the London-born wing-back.
‘He Improved’ – Glasner Praises Mitchell
Mitchell has been a mainstay in Glasner’s team this season, appearing 45 times across competitions. He’s registered three goals and as many assists.
The Palace star’s consistency has somehow gone unnoticed by England over the years. He’s earned just two caps for his national team, which is bizarre.
Glasner spoke glowingly of the Englishman ahead of his side’s clash with West Ham United on Monday. The Austrian suggested he’s stepped it up on the attacking front:
“T was always one of the best defenders in the Premier League and I think he improved his attacking game massively not just by scoring goals and getting assists, but also really being a constant threat to the opposition”
Mitchell quickly adapted to his wing-back role in Glasner’s system having been a left-back under previous managers. He played a crucial role in last season’s FA Cup triumph and he’s proving to be vital in the UEFA Conference League this campaign.
Mateta also acknowledged him after the win over Newcastle last Sunday. He called him “a machine” and a “fantastic teammate.”
Mitchell Could be Rested vs West Ham
Palace might have lost 2-1 to Fiorentina on Thursday night but they booked their place in the Conference League semi-finals with a 4-2 win on aggregate. The emphatic 3-0 win in the first leg proved decisive and it means Glasner’s men are one step closer to the final in Leipzig.
Glasner will depart when his contract expires at the end of the season, and to do so with a European trophy is the perfect send-off. But he will need to be cautious with his team from here on out as he tries to ensure his players remain injury-free.
That might mean resting a fair few of his usual starters for such games as West Ham’s visit on Monday night. He touched on this during his pre-match press conference:
“You need to be 100% fit to be competitive in the Premier League. As soon as we have a feeling maybe a player is just 95%, another one will play and now we have better depth in the squad. At the moment we don’t have a lot of injuries so this gives us the opportunity to make more changes if necessary.”
Mitchell could be one of the players to be rested having played 3,766 minutes of football this season. Borna Sosa is his backup, although the Croat has yet to convince since arriving from Ajax last summer.
