Sunderland AFC 2-1 Crystal Palace
by Roger Domeneghetti
at the Stadium of Light

“WE FEEL that we’re being abandoned.” That was Oliver Glasner’s damning assessment of how his Crystal Palace team had been treated by the club’s board.

It had been a torrid month for club. Since losing to Manchester City in mid-December, they have failed to win any of their eight games in all competitions, the last of which being a humiliating defeat in the FA Cup at the hands of non-League Macclesfield.

Then, the day before this game, it was announced that their captain Marc Guehi would be joining Manchester City and Glasner would follow him out of the door marked “exit” in the summer. The last thing they needed, then, was a trip to Wearside to play an obdurate Sunderland.

Given the build-up, there was little surprise that they were second best for much of the game. It was something of a shock when they took the lead on the half-hour mark, with goalkeeper Robin Roefs’ uncharacteristic error giving Yeremy Pino the opportunity to toe-poke the ball home.

Not for nothing are Sunderland unbeaten at home in the League this season. That run includes games against all the top three; they weren’t about to let the FA Cup holders spoil their record. Within three minutes they were level, Enzo Le Fee sweeping home beyond Dean Henderson.

From then on, there was only likely to be one winner, Brian Brobbey’s goal sealing all three points for the home side 19 minutes from time.

“We played quite well and I think my players left their hearts on the pitch, but I couldn’t support them from the bench,” said an exasperated Glasner, who made no substitutions.

“We’ve known we’re in this situation for weeks, for months now,” he said. “What are we doing? We’re selling our captain one day before a game. One day before a game, the first time I heard about it was 10.30am yesterday. All the set pieces, everything was prepared for Guehi playing.

“Then, we had to change everything. Nobody told us. So, then I have to stand in front of the group and tell them, ‘Oh, the captain doesn’t play tomorrow.’

Asked how he could stay in post while he was so unhappy, Glasner replied: “Because the players deserve it. The players and the fans deserve it 100 per cent.” But he acknowledged the board might take the decision out of his hands following his comments. “I don’t know. It’s their club.”