Glasner thanks fans & reveals the story behind Sarr’s winner
Oliver Glasner paid tribute to the Crystal Palace supporters, after Ismaïla Sarr’s second-half strike ended the Eagles’ long wait for a win in style.
The Senegal forward’s clinical finish after being picked out by debutant Evann Guessand, along with an outstanding defensive display from the Palace back line, proved enough to secure Palace’s first win of 2026, end a nine-game winless league run – and earn three more memorable points at the home of our arch rivals.
Glasner told his post-match press conference: “I can just say ‘thank you’ to our fans.
“They had plenty of opportunities to boo us in the last months, but they never did. I think this is the bond we created in the last two years between the fans and the team; yes, they were disappointed, and we were disappointed. But they never booed at us.
“Yes, we were not really pleased with the performances, with the results, but we always felt the support. And I think today we have seen, right at the end with the players, the fans, this is what you can't buy, these emotions, this feeling after a win.
“We will go home now, up the M23, really delighted, and our fans will go home… I think they will stop once or twice to buy another Guinness! And that's why football is so great.
“To be honest, we couldn't deliver the last two months, so they went home, I think, disappointed and discussing why things are not working. Today, they are just happy and enjoying the game, enjoying the win.
“I think tomorrow most of them have to go to work, but Monday morning it's easier to start with a win, especially at Brighton, for our fans – and this is what we could deliver, and this is why I think everybody was so emotional after the game.”
On the overriding emotion, Glasner added: “I guess the emotion is the same for everyone – every player, every staff member, and even for our fans: it's a mix between relief, and joy and happiness.
“I think it was not the best Premier League game ever, but I think with the circumstances and how both teams entered this game, I think it's explainable.
“Today, I think we defended very well. This was always our foundation, I mentioned it so often. In the second-half, we gave them one finish [Dean Henderson saving from Charalampos Kostoulas] – to be fair, it was a good chance for them – but everything else we did so well.
“Then we waited for our moments. In the first-half, we were not really good enough in the final third, but we were a threat from set plays all the time. Then in the second-half, we had this great situation, where Evann Guessand wins the second ball and wins the duel.
“Then we know Isma makes his runs, and we take the chance. Two minutes later, they had one as well and Dean saved it. There were small margins on our side, but we were all relieved and really happy.”
The Manager also revealed that Sarr’s goal stemmed from the duo’s efforts on the training pitch, adding: “It's funny, because after Nottingham [Forest], when we were analysing with a great build-up from Dean Henderson, where we passed to him and he gets in a similar area in the first-half, he tries to pass, but could’ve shot.
“We had a similar situation against Chelsea, and when we watched the Brighton game [from November] back, we had a similar situation against Brighton, where he didn't take the finish from a big chance and I just said to him: ‘shoot.’
“To be honest, this week in training it was similar and he passed again. I got mad and I was almost kneeling on the grass and said: ‘Isma, please take the finish!’ Today he took it twice – one he missed, the second one he scored. He got the reward, and we all got the reward.
“We know that he can and will help us to score goals. I think everybody who played today up front showed that he will contribute to score more goals when they know each other better, when they know the way we are playing a little bit better – but I've seen huge effort from everyone and a huge win.”
We can really build on the defensive structure and the willingness of everyone to defend
—Oliver Glasner
Glasner hopes to carry forward the solidity on show at the Amex: “This was always the foundation of everything we achieved. And then we know that we can create three, four, five big chances from open play, from transition or from set plays, and then it's important to take one of them.
“Now, we have many Premier League games, hopefully we have many Conference League games, and it's now really to be consistent.
"It’s not now ‘we are the best ones in the world’. It's now working on playing football better, creating more chances. I think what we can really build on is the defensive structure and the willingness of everyone to defend, and that's the foundation – and then again, in three days, we have to prove it in the Premier League at home [to Burnley].
“No game in the Premier League is easy to play, and therefore it's important now to really focus on what we want to do, integrate the new players better and better, and as I just said on the pitch to Jørgen Strand Larsen, I think in two, three, four weeks, you will find quicker solutions, because you know where the players are.
“This is the work at the training pitch, at the training ground, and this will help the new players – so that's the job we have to do in the next couple of months.”