Oliver Glasner keeps Crystal Palace guessing over future as games pile up

Despite missing out on an automatic last-16 spot, the mood at Palace remains upbeat.

The Eagles begin the defence of the FA Cup at non-league Macclesfield on 10 January – and former England defender Joleon Lescott believes Glasner will be able to use his fringe and youth players to help him to juggle the demands of competing in Europe and at home.

“They’ve got Macclesfield away in the FA Cup, the play-offs in this competition, maybe they can play in those games and give some of the experienced players a rest,” Lescott told TNT Sports.

Against KuPS, Glasner started 16-year-old Joel Drakes-Thomas, Dean Benamar, 17, and George King, 18 – and the academy trio did not look out of place as they made their senior debuts.

Yet an air of uncertainty remains at Selhurst Park.

Glasner is about to enter the final six months of his contract and Palace’s hierarchy are becoming increasingly worried about losing a manager whose stock has shot up in recent months.

Talks about a new contract have been ongoing since March but there is little to suggest the 51-year-old Austrian, who masterminded Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League triumph in 2021-22, is close to committing his future.

Indeed, before Thursday’s match Glasner said: “I don’t think one second about my future. It’s not important right now.”

In addition, there doubts remain about the futures of Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton, who are both wanted by other clubs.