Crystal Palace secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Craven Cottage, thanks to goals from Eberechi Eze, Ismaila Sarr, and Eddie Nketiah. This win marked Palace’s fifth consecutive victory across all competitions.
Manager Oliver Glasner emphasized that Crystal Palace has more at stake than just the FA Cup after reaching the semi-finals. The Eagles have impressively won their last six away matches without conceding a goal, making them the first team in English top-flight history to achieve such a feat. They now face Aston Villa in the semi-finals, aiming for their third FA Cup final appearance.
When asked if the FA Cup had become the primary goal for the season, Glasner replied, “No, sorry, why? The semi-final is in four weeks, we have two games, and there is still much to accomplish in the Premier League. We are currently on an excellent run.”
Glasner highlighted that while the win against Fulham was a significant achievement, the upcoming match against Southampton is equally crucial. Crystal Palace previously finished as runners-up in the FA Cup, losing to Manchester United in both 1990 and 2016.
Reflecting on Saturday’s match, Glasner noted that the team appeared “rusty” at the start but quickly regained their confidence. He stated, “The season is not over. If today was the end, I wouldn’t be satisfied. We are entering a critical phase of the last two months, but the good thing is we are in strong momentum.”
Crystal Palace matched their best-ever Premier League points tally of 49 last season under Glasner. With 39 points and ten games remaining, they are on track to surpass that milestone in what is shaping up to be Glasner’s first full season with the club.
“Many games lie ahead for us to find our best form again, as I felt we were quite far from it, especially at the beginning against Fulham,” he added.
As Palace celebrates their FA Cup success, Fulham must shift focus back to the Premier League, with manager Marco Silva urging his team to respond positively in their upcoming matches. Silva expressed, “We have nine important games left, and we need to react. If we need to feel upset about Saturday’s result, we should channel that into working harder to bounce back as a team.”
In conclusion, while the FA Cup journey is significant for Crystal Palace, Glasner remains focused on the broader objectives of the season as they continue to push for success in both cup and league competitions.