Oliver Glasner said he was left “scared” by the intensity his Crystal Palace team showed in the first half-an-hour of Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Newcastle.
Palace have now won three games on the spin, following up victories over Liverpool and West Ham with a clinical win at Selhurst Park against a Newcastle side who suffered a blow to their hopes of qualifying for Europe.
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored both of Palace’s goals in the second half, continuing his own strong personal form, but it was the energy his players showed when pressing the visitors in the first 30 minutes that most impressed manager Glasner.
“The first 30 minutes, with the intensity we brought I was really scared”, he said. “That’s not a joke. I was scared if they continued playing like this I’d need 10 substitutions. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was really surprised we pressed them so high for such a long time.
Newcastle didn’t get out of their half.
“Now we go for four in a row. A very famous coach in Germany once said that after a game is always [also] before a game. Credit to the players today for the performance, the energy, the intensity, the offensive way of playing.
“It’s a good feeling to have completed mission number one: staying in the Premier League mathematically.”
Glasner added: “I hope that the players get addicted to winning games, to this feeling and this emotion. I have to thank the players for the trust they gave us from day one, because we changed many things. They always listen.”
Asked whether defender Marc Guehi, currently side-lined with a knee injury, will play again this season, he said: “We hope so of course. He’s been part of the sessions this week. We expect him back with the team next week and let’s see if he’s back in the squad for Manchester United.”
Palace host United on Monday, May 6. Before that they visit Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
