- Everton plays Crystal Palace next
- Crystal Palace qualified for the Conference League final, beating Shakhtar Donetsk
- Everton are currently 10th in the Premier League with 48 points.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed his players will be given a day off to “enjoy themselves” before Saturday’s Premier League clash with Everton, but insisted his side will not surrender easily. Speaking to TNT Sports after his team’s recent European win, Glasner explained his approach to managing player fatigue ahead of the visit of David Moyes’ side.
Glasner: ‘I just gave them tomorrow off’
Glasner revealed he learned from a previous bad experience. “I just gave them tomorrow off. We had a bad experience after the first leg against Shakhtar, we trained the next day and they weren’t sharp. Maybe this will help when they are out somewhere in London.”
He added: “I said to the players that we won’t wave the white flag against Everton but I think it’s important they enjoy themselves, rest and we will meet on Saturday to prepare for Everton. It’s about getting everything planned in the right way.”
Crystal Palace vs Everton: The stakes for both sides
Everton sit 10th in the Premier League table with 48 points from 35 matches. They have conceded 44 goals this season. Crystal Palace are 15th, but their focus may be split. The Eagles have a Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano to look forward to. If they win, it will be a direct route to Europa League football. Their remaining league fixtures are difficult on paper at least. Everton and Arsenal at home, Brentford and Manchester City away to end the campaign.
Everton, meanwhile, are desperate to end a poor run of form. They have taken just two points from their last four games with draws against Brentford and Manchester City and defeats to West Ham and Liverpool. The Toffees were once firmly in the European places but have made life difficult for themselves. To have any chance of qualifying for Europe, they likely need to win all three remaining matches.
Key players and head-to-head
Crystal Palace’s main threats are Jean‑Philippe Mateta, who has scored 10 league goals and Ismaila Sarr with 7 goals. For Everton, Iliman Ndiaye has six goals and three assists, while Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall leads the way with eight goals and four assists.
Everton have won six of the last ten league meetings against Crystal Palace and three of the last four, including a 2‑1 victory at Goodison Park earlier this season. That record will give Moyes’ side some confidence when they travel to the capital.
Glasner’s decision to rest his players could be a double‑edged sword. A refreshed Palace might be dangerous, or they could be focusing on their Conference League final. Everton, who have had a full week to prepare, must take advantage. With three games left and European qualification still mathematically possible, only a win will do.
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