If this was goodbye to Crystal Palace from Marc Guehi, it was a fitting send off

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The broad, beaming smile on Marc Guehi’s face at full-time said it all. Goals are not entirely alien to him but a curling strike placed perfectly into the top corner against Aston Villa will rank among his best.

“There’s only one Marc Guehi,” the Crystal Palace fans had sung earlier in the game, before following up with “Hey Marc Guehi, I wanna know, how you scored that goal,” as they demonstrated their appreciation for a player who has given so much to the club over the past four years.

Despite all the discussion that has continued to swirl around him and a possible move from Palace to Liverpool before the transfer window closes following the Premier League champions’ approach to buy him, his attitude has remained steadfastly resolute and his mind focused on captaining the club which has helped him develop into a world class defender.

He could yet depart, but his goal, struck with the precision of an in-form attacking player as he shaped his body, from just inside the penalty area after smart pressing from Daichi Kamada was the tonic Palace needed after a fraught summer. The second of three goals without response against Villa ensured their first Premier League victory of the season after their sixth match in all competitions.

Since joining from Chelsea in 2021, Guehi has consistently performed to a high standard. His focus and determination have seldom waned and he leads by example on and off the pitch. That is why Oliver Glasner is so desperate to keep him even if his contract situation — he has a year remaining and has so far shown no inclination he plans to renew — makes it awkward for the club from a financial perspective.

Palace now have four clean sheets from six matches in all competitions this season and their compactness as well as the familiarity in defence is a core part of their success.

This is a club which feels as if it is never too far away from at the very least a perception that it is in a crisis. Partly, perhaps, because of late deals in the transfer window. Should Guehi leave still, then they will need a replacement urgently, but that would not satisfy Glasner who revealed an agreement with chairman Steve Parish not to sell unless that replacement had arrived by the start of pre-season. 

Glasner will be relieved come the end of the window tomorrow, whatever happens. One way or another, Guehi’s immediate future will be determined. Palace may have stability on the pitch with their performances but off it the mood swings wildly. This performance helped lift the glumness around the relative absence of incoming transfer activity and adds perspective that with the right additions they can push on as Glasner has repeatedly pointed out.

Guehi basks in the glory of his Villa Park rocket (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

His focus would rather be on the sporting element of his job, not making representations to keep hold of his most talented players or trying to persuade the club to bring more in to bolster his threadbare squad which has now lost Adam Wharton and Ismaila Sarr to adductor and hamstring injuries respectively for an as yet undetermined period of time.

But his complaints have largely been over the uncertainty and timing of transfers — in or out of the club. By 7pm on Monday he will know what he has to work with. The focus will shift to a make do and mend approach if there are fewer than the three new players that the club is working on, or to thriving and flourishing with further additions if those three deals are successfully completed.

For a manager who tries to remain in the moment and not search too far into the past or future for comfort, this summer must have been a challenge. The strength of feeling and conviction in his beliefs over how Guehi’s future in particular is linked to Palace’s success has increased as the season grew closer and ultimately began.

“We had a meeting in March… and we have an agreement that we could sell Marc if we have the right replacement in,” Glasner said of his arrangement with Parish in his post-match press conference. “We wanted to have this replacement at the beginning of the pre-season… (but) it’s August 31 and there is no replacement in the building so it’s clear one part of the agreement is not fulfilled that means we can’t sell Marc.

“It’s not a wish or gift for Oliver Glasner, it’s necessary for playing a successful season. We have had a great start and I think our fans deserve to have the best players available. I know if we don’t sell Marc, he will accept it. He loves the club and team, he feels the appreciation and we feel the same from his side. That’s why I have to say we need to keep him.”

Palace have begun this season well and a comprehensive, controlled victory at Villa Park, even in spite of the two injuries, has offered up plenty of optimism, however much caution remains for the closure of the transfer window.

Glasner is a compelling speaker with an ability to shift perspectives. It is hard to disagree with him on the importance of not selling Guehi. They are one of only three unbeaten teams in the Premier League over the opening three games.

Clearly they will be far better placed to avoid the pitfalls of last season’s record-breaking slow start with their captain, but with or without him, they have set strong foundations on which to build something. If this is to be the last of Guehi in a Palace shirt then it was a fitting send-off. 

(Top photo: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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