Oliver Glasner prefaced his answer with an apology.
“This is the first time I have to say sorry to our fans,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “I said before the Brighton game, if it is a very important game for our fans then it’s a very important game for us. But if they say it’s more important to win tomorrow than on Saturday then I must say, no, both games have the same value for us.”
Glasner’s Crystal Palace team will play Arsenal twice this week: first in the Carabao Cup quarter-final away tonight, then in the Premier League at home on Saturday. So should he treat both equally? Or should he prioritise one over the other?
The conviction of his response suggests he genuinely believes they are of equal value. Certainly, both are important, but managers, owners and fans are not always aligned when it comes to deciding priorities, and in this case, Glasner is misguided.
Opportunities to progress to the last four of a cup competition are rare for clubs like Palace. They should make the most of the chance this evening, especially against what might be a slightly weaker Arsenal line-up.
The last time Palace made the League Cup semi-final was in 2012. They succumbed, meekly, to Cardiff City in the Welsh capital after a poor performance and an even more dismal showing in the penalty shootout.
That night felt like a missed opportunity as a Championship side under manager Dougie Freedman, now Palace’s sporting director, especially having already conquered Manchester United in the quarter-final at Old Trafford with Darren Ambrose’s wonder goal and a Glenn Murray header.
The financial gain of beating Sir Alex Ferguson’s side back then was particularly significant for a club still rebuilding out of an administration they had exited just 18 months earlier. The confidence and positive feeling it created was even greater.
Palace’s situation is different now, and the financial incentive comes from the Premier League more than the cup. So there may be an understandable reticence to favour the league, given that survival remains their priority each season and every position in the table is worth around £2.5million ($3.2m).
Sometimes football must be looked at dispassionately. Spreadsheets and money can take precedence. With all that money and status at stake, the Premier League might seem like the most important thing to focus on, particularly given Palace are 15th, only four points clear of the relegation zone.
But there is also something to be said for momentum. One defeat in nine should give them confidence. Victory over Brighton should give them confidence. The form of their defence is another positive. A win over Arsenal in the cup would build on that, which would benefit Palace in the league as well.
Yes, there may be a risk of injury in the cup game. Adam Wharton failed to complete the first half against Aston Villa in the previous round, but that was a pre-existing injury. (After a setback, he is a few weeks away from returning to training.) Eberechi Eze sustained a hamstring problem in that game too.
But injuries can occur in any match.
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eze were substituted in the 3-1 victory over Brighton on Sunday with knocks. Eze’s swollen foot means he might not feature and Mateta is available but has had little rest this season, so maybe Palace will decide that their most used and most important players are better off taking a break.
There may also be opportunities for some players. Daniel Munoz will miss both games through suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Brighton and his second in the Carabao Cup against Villa. That presents a possible chance for Caleb Kporha, the impressive 18-year-old right wing-back who made his senior debut as a late substitute in the 2-0 defeat by Fulham in November.
So perhaps Palace will take fewer risks in the cup than they would in the league with regards to fitness, and giving youth a chance in this competition would be beneficial to their development. But short-term vision should be the priority on this occasion.
This is a chance to make a semi-final of a cup competition. It is a game they should go out to win.
Glasner has said that is what they want to do. It must be done without hesitation, without concern about consequences, just as they would approach a Premier League game.
(Top photo: Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner after beating Villa in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup in October; by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
