Oliver Glasner says Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze will start for Crystal Palace in their Conference League play-off match with Fredrikstad on Thursday.
The Palace manager confirmed the pair would play in the first leg of the game at Selhurst Park despite continued transfer interest from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, with two weeks remaining before the transfer window closes.
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Eze and Guehi trained as expected on Wednesday, having played in Palace’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea in their opening Premier League match of the season on Sunday.
“Many of you were surprised that he and Marc started against Chelsea,” Glasner said at a news conference on Wednesday. “You may be surprised they will start again tomorrow because of all the rumours but they are committed here.
“They will play a crucial part for as long as they are here they are committed to the team. If they leave, they want to leave as the guys who gave 100 per cent to Crystal Palace.
Glasner also addressed speculation around Guehi, who walked off quickly after applauding the Palace supporters but appeared to not acknowledge the Austrian speaking to him on the pitch at full-time at Stamford Bridge.
“There has been so much nonsense written,” Glasner said. “I have not met many colleagues more ambitious than me but Marc is one of them, and he was upset on Sunday.
“He was emotional after this game, exhausted. He was disappointed the goal was disallowed, that we did not win. It was written in a negative way, I see it as the opposite.
“Marc was upset that he didn’t win the game and I loved this. It’s the best sign that he could show of how ambitious we are. We can react the same way every time. I never want it to be that we are satisfied with getting a draw.
“This shows the development and progress of Crystal Palace in the last few years, that we are not happy with just a draw at Chelsea.
“It is not a big issue. We are not saying ‘Thank you for arriving today’. Things can always happen until the window is closed, but we are always focused on what we have to do. We take it game by game, showing the best performance we can.”
‘Selections not a surprise’
It is not a surprise that Guehi and Eze are due to play against Fredrikstad — they have shown commitment to Palace and will continue to be picked until such a time as a deal is imminent.
Guehi is Palace’s captain and an integral part of their side, with little cover at centre-back leaving them with only centre-midfielder Jefferson Lerma or Nathaniel Clyne to play in the position if required. Unless Liverpool, or another team, meet Palace’s demands, there is no reason for him to be left out of the team to their detriment.
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Eze is in a similar boat. He may be pulled from the starting XI if Tottenham match Palace’s asking price, but as yet that has not happened. If Glasner had any concerns over either of them, then they would not be involved, but it appears to be the opposite — he has stated several times recently how impressed he has been with their professionalism.
(Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images
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