- Crystal Palace drew with West Ham
- Adam Wharton expected back for Liverpool
- Brennan Johnson criticised after poor display
Crystal Palace kick-started their week against West Ham United in the Premier League. There is real positivity around Selhurst Park at the moment.
The Eagles have booked their place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League following a 4-2 win on aggregate over Fiorentina. They face the Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk for a place in the final at Leipzig.
Before that, Oliver Glasner had tasked his men with keeping the momentum going. They came up against West Ham on Monday night in a rather forgettable affair.
A Selhurst Stalemate
Palace were held to a 0-0 draw by West Ham in a game where chances were few and far between. The point means Glasner’s men remain 13th, five points off European qualification with six games left.
Dean Henderson said after the game that his side were “disappointed” and that they “really wanted to win.” But a toothless performance up top ultimately led to no goals at Selhurst Park.
Next up for the South Londoners is a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday (April 25th). The Reds might be out for revenge after suffering a 2-1 loss in the reverse fixture.
Adam Wharton Update
Glasner didn’t include Adam Wharton in his squad for the West Ham game. The English midfielder was forced off in the first half of last Thursday’s 2-1 loss away to Fiorentina.
Wharton picked up an adductor issue, the same injury that saw him pull out of international duty with England. But he is set to be available against Liverpool this weekend.
The expectation is that he will be back in training on Thursday to prepare for the trip to Merseyside. His game time will need to be handled carefully with the Shakhtar semi-final on the horizon.
Brennan Johnson Woes Continue
Glasner seemed to try to protect Brennan Johnson after the draw against West Ham. The Welsh attacker was handed a start and the chance to try and impress.
Johnson has endured a difficult start to life at Selhurst Park since arriving from Tottenham Hotspur for £35m. His performance last night drew criticism, with many questioning the fee paid for his services.
Spurs might also be frustrated with their former player, who missed a huge chance in the first half. With the goal gaping, he headed past the post.
