It's been a crazy start to 2024 for Crystal Palace fans, as they've watched their team suffer some significant defeats, be decimated by injuries and change managers for the third time in three years.
The latest man to enter the hot seat in south London is Austrian coach Oliver Glasner, who has quite an impressive track record in Germany, winning the UEFA Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.
The 49-year-old is a progressive manager, but he has a set formation that he likes to stick to as much as possible, 3-4-2-1, and while that could work brilliantly at Selhurst Park, the absence of Eberechi Eze could pose a short-term problem.
The mercurial Englishman will fit perfectly into one of the two attacking midfield roles once fit, but in the meantime, Glasner should start a promising youngster there instead.
Eberechi Eze's time at Crystal Palace
Eze joined the Eagles from Championship side Queens Park Rangers in August 2020, where he had just scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in 48 games at 21 years old.
A jump up to the Premier League from the Championship can often be a step too far for players – especially youngsters – but the dynamic midfielder took to topflight football like a duck to water and scored four goals and provided six assists in just 34 league matches in his first campaign.
Appearances
113
Goals
20
Assists
14
Goal Involvements per Match
0.30
Unfortunately, the 2021/22 season was not as successful due to a problem with his Achilles that saw him miss large chunks of the campaign, and even when he did come back, he wasn't anywhere near his best. Luckily, he was injury-free the following season, and he ended 2022/23 with ten goals and four assists to his name in 40 appearances.
This year has been a mixed bag, as he has managed to score five goals and three assists in 20 games, but he has missed ten games as well, although the club revealed that he is back training on Friday, so it might not be long until he's dazzling fans at Selhurst Park once more.
That said, it doesn't look like Eze will be fit for the game against Burnley this afternoon, so in his place, Glasner should give a promising youngster only his second Premier League start.
Matheus Franca should start against Burnley
That youngster in question is summer signing Matheus Franca.
Now, it would be fair to describe the 19-year-old's first few months in English football as underwhelming. After all, he hasn't scored a goal or provided an assist in his ten appearances for the club thus far.
However, in his defence, he has only started two games for the club – one in the league and one in the FA Cup – with the other eight being minor cameos here and there, which is hardly enough time for a youngster to get acclimatised to an entirely new league.
Moreover, before he had officially signed for the Eagles, the Flamengo gem was talked about as being the next best thing from Brazil.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig was full of praise for the youngster, describing him as a "great midfielder", a "great striker", and someone who "can play almost everywhere", which is what made him "one of the most exciting teenagers in Brazil."
Meanwhile, U23 scout Antonio Mango described Franca as an "immense talent", and when you take a look at his statistics from his time with Flamengo, it's easy to see why, as by 19, he had already made 54 appearances for Flamengo's senior team and scored nine goals.
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Ultimately, there is still a player in there somewhere, and with most of his experience coming as an attacking midfielder and Glasner's preference to play with two in his 3-4-2-1 formation, the game against Burnley seems perfectly poised for the young Brazilian to make his second Premier League start since moving to Palace.
