Crystal Palace picked up a third successive win in the Premier League as they pushed past Newcastle United in a clash on Wednesday night.
The in-form Jean-Philippe Mateta found himself on the scoresheet once again, bagging a brace to finish off two impressive passages of play.
A vibrant Selhurst Park crowd appeared to enjoy every moment of the action, as the match ended with Palace beating the Magpies 2-0.
It means that Oliver Glasner secured another three points, a third win on the bounce and the club’s Premier League status for another season.
The Palace boss has managed that while attempting to implement his style of play on the team, one that has guided his previous projects towards European success.
Signs are starting to show that the squad are taking those tactical changes on board, with Glasner’s Toon counterpart Eddie Howe detailing how the Eagles managed to overcome his own team’s plan.
Eddie Howe explains Crystal Palace tactics
When dissecting the match in an interview with Sky Sports, Howe gave credit to Crystal Palace for their display.
The Newcastle boss paid particular attention to the work off-the-ball that the Eagles had shown, specifically with the pressing side of the game
Howe said when talking about the match: “It was a difficult game for us, I thought we were below our best levels today.
“Crystal Palace, I thought, played well, a high-pressing game I think we were both trying to high-press each other, but I thought they were more effective at their game than we were today.”
It’s a verdict that will likely please most Palace fans and even the manager himself, given the importance placed on pressing in his tactical system.
The work placed on hounding the opposition with intensity and intelligence has been particularly evident in recent games.
A trip to Anfield saw Crystal Palace put Liverpool under immense pressure and walk out with a 1-0 win, which then continued into Palace’s 5-2 thrashing of West Ham the following week.
Crystal Palace’s remaining fixtures
Just four games remain for Crystal Palace before the end of the Premier League season and with relegation fears allayed, attention can turn towards a positive future.
Next up is a short trip to Fulham, before facing Manchester United, Wolves and Aston Villa in the final run of matches, which could see some key Palace injury returns too.
Three wins on the bounce have built momentum that Glasner can take forward into games, receiving buy-in from both the players and supporters for the project ahead.
It remains to be seen how far the Eagles can soar under his stewardship, but the final few fixtures appear to be more than just dead-rubber clashes when the football on display has entertained loyal supporters.
The post Eddie Howe explains why Crystal Palace beat Newcastle, including key Oliver Glasner tactic appeared first on We are Palace.