Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner makes damning Everton fitness claim to concern David Moyes

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner spoke to the media following his side's 2-2 draw with Everton at Selhust Park

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says Everton were the side who looked like they'd hade a European semi-final just three days prior when praising his own side’s display in the 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 on Thursday to progress 5-2 on aggregate to the Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on May 27. Despite the Blues going ahead twice though on Sunday, they were pegged back on both occasions and had to make door with a share of the spoils.

Glasner said: “I’m absolutely pleased with the performance. I told the players at half-time, in the first 10 minutes we could see the difference between the Conference League which is technical and Premier League because the Premier League is so physical.

“We were one-nil down, a corner-kick at the near post but we came back into the game. The reaction was great, we came back into the game, we played well, scored an amazing goal, and the second half was much the same, they took their chance after we made one mistake and we were two-one down.

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OPINION

“When you had a game three days ago and Everton were defending really well and when they’re defending a deep block, it’s not too easy to create chances against them. But the way we played, the way we created chances, the commitment, the desire, the confidence and the determination we had, to play forward, to create chances and to score a goal was for me fully deserved.

“For me, then the reaction I loved, it was 2-2, it could have been save the point, but it’s okay, let’s go for the win. In the end, it felt like Everton had played like three days ago because we looked fresher and that’s credit to the players.”

The 51-year-old added: “We now have two-and-a-half weeks until the final and it is so far away. I think this was our 56th game of the season, so two-and-a-half weeks feels like an eternity, we have to prepare for Manchester City, not Rayo Vallecano.

“It was the opposite to the Bournemouth game when we knew it was just half-time [in the semi-final legs against Shakhtar Donetsk]. The players looked better yesterday, that’s why I decided not to rotate a lot, it was just the strikers, but I think it was a little bit different.

“I remember Everton away, we were excellent for the first 60 minutes, but then we dropped off. That was after a Thursday night game and we were physically fatigued, but today it was the opposite.

“That is the development that the team has made when we talk about dealing with different situations, using the experience to learn. In three days, we have to go again but this performance today will help us to play a great game against City.”

Crystal Palace had a penalty shout in the first half when Jorgen Strand Larsen went down under a challenge from James Garner, but Glasner admitted he thought referee Tom Bramall was right not to give it and insisted that there was no problem between David Moyes and himself following their touchline exchange. He said: “David is a bit older than myself, but we are old school. The referee gave a few decisions that were too soft, but on both sides.

“I watched it back, and to be honest, it shouldn’t be a penalty. In the Premier League, no.

“This is what the Premier League is famous for. Yes, it was a push but these are the kind of pushes that you see from every set-play.”

The Austrian was also satisfied with the way Crystal Palace shifted their emphasis from European football against Ukrainian opponents to a rather different kind of test against Everton.

He said: “I’m very pleased and very proud of the players. I told them afterwards.

“You can win and lose, but their approach to the game, today we wanted to show our style of play and our personality and I have seen it in the entire game. We had to come into the game a little bit and finding the switch but then adapting quickly, playing our game but also accepting the strengths of Everton.

“They are good on set-plays, we saw with their goal against Manchester City, they are physically so strong and they have a lot of belief in what they are doing. They are quite direct with the long balls.

“Our first goal was the same, we went long and Jorgen Strand Larsen wins the duel, we pick up the second ball and scored a nice goal. Sometimes, it’s not rocket science in football.

“If you do the basics right and I think we did the basics right and also played some good football, but Everton were also threatening and we made one or two mistakes at the end and they had chances on transitions.”

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