Crystal Palace’s Defensive Line Shows Promise

Crystal Palace secured a significant victory against Tottenham, marking a pivotal point in their season. Prior to this match, the team had not won in eight Premier League fixtures, leading to increasing pressure on manager Oliver Glasner and the club. Glasner’s choice to reinstate Jean-Philippe Mateta into the starting eleven proved successful, as the French player netted the game’s sole goal. It appears the Palace manager has now identified a consistent starting lineup from which to build. Glasner himself stated that his squad’s preparation was suboptimal due to “late signings” who had “no pre-season together.” This observation applies to Trevoh Chalobah and Maxence Lacroix, two players in Palace’s defensive trio. Chalobah and Lacroix have featured alongside Marc Guehi in Palace’s back three for the last three games, and their collaboration appears to be developing into a formidable partnership. Lacroix, notably, garnered considerable praise following the victory over Spurs, which is expected to significantly benefit the centre-back after a challenging initial period at Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace faces what are considered “winnable games” against Wolves and Fulham. The overall prospects for their season could undergo a substantial change within a couple of weeks, by the time of the upcoming international break. Sandi Toksvig’s program features Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Musical selections from artists such as Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, and Katy Perry are available. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble return to cover the events at Longleat Safari Park. Topics include microplastics present in air, soil, and waterways, as well as the current levels of food waste. Copyright 2024 BBC. The BBC disclaims responsibility for content on external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.