Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has revealed his sympathy for striker Eddie Nketiah’s challenging first season at Selhurst Park, but says he’s ready to give the £25 million summer signing a fresh opportunity when Palace visit former club Arsenal on Wednesday.
Nketiah, 25, has featured 30 times across all competitions, scoring five goals and supplying two assists, yet has only started ten matches since his move from the Gunners. With Palace preparing for Saturday’s FA Cup semi‑final against Aston Villa, Glasner confirmed he will rotate his squad at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Austrian coach explained why Nketiah’s hard work has gone unrewarded so far:
“It’s not time to sum up Eddie’s season now, but he’s so hard‑working. Sometimes I feel a little bit sad for him, personally, when I see all his effort.” — Oliver Glasner
Glasner recalled Nketiah’s cameo in Palace’s heavy defeat at Newcastle—an uphill task no player relishes:
“For example, at Newcastle he comes on when we’re 5–0 down. It’s the worst situation you can have as a player. He had a couple of chances but slipped at the crucial moment. I see him every day working, and there will come a day when he gets paid for all his effort.” — Oliver Glasner
Glasner also confirmed Ben Chilwell was ruled out of the Arsenal match due to illness and stressed he’ll field his strongest available XI:
“Ben Chilwell should have started but couldn’t come to training—everyone else is fit,” he said.
“We expect Arsenal to play their strongest team ahead of their Champions League semi‑final, and we’ll do the same.”
| Metric | Total Since 2024 |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 24 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 4.0 |
Since joining Crystal Palace in 2024, Nketiah has made 24 Premier League appearances, scored 1 goal, provided 1 assist, and recorded 4.0 expected goals.
Do you think Nketiah’s numbers justify more starts under Glasner? Let us know below!
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