Oliver Glasner: Crystal Palace boss highlights 'clear' need for transfer activity in January after Tottenham loss
Crystal Palace fell to their third straight Premier League defeat with Tottenham claiming all three points in a 1-0 win at Selhurst Park; Glasner's side are the league's highest xG underachievers, a statistic further affirmed by their struggles to score despite their dominance
Sunday 28 December 2025 20:37, UK
Oliver Glasner said Crystal Palace's need for reinforcements in the January transfer window is clear as former Eagles boss Alan Pardew urged the board to back the Austrian.
Palace fell to a third straight defeat in the Premier League as they suffered a 1-0 loss to Tottenham at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Archie Gray's goal was the difference as Palace were once again let down by poor finishing.
It's a familiar tale for the south London club who have created with ease in the Premier League this season but have been unable to make their chances count.
Glasner's side have the biggest xG differential in the top flight this season, scoring 8.4 goals fewer than their xG would suggest in the Premier League this season, with 21 goals from 29.4 xG.
Palace are also suffering from player absences with Ismaila Sarr, Daniel Munoz and Daichi Kamada among those unavailable due to international duty or injury.
Asked whether he feels he has assurances that Palace will be active in the transfer window, Glasner placed the ball firmly in the board's court to help provide a solution in January.
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"To be honest, if you watch our game today, it's pretty clear what we need," Glasner told the press.
"Then, it's the decision of Crystal Palace. If you're constantly underperforming in scoring goals, what we can do is encourage the players, support them, and be positive.
"I can't blame anybody for missing the chances, but we have to accept right now that we have a little bit of a lack of finishing quality in the team.
"It looks like we can't replace Ismaila Sarr, Daniel Munoz and Daichi Kamada, who are very often involved in our goals.
"But on the other side, we want to be back in the next week, so it's now to support all the players.
"I see the way we play, the structure, the chances we create. The patterns work.
"It's now really supporting the players to get this confidence back that they are able to score more goals.
"My feeling is the closer we come to the goal, the more nervous we get in decision-making."
Pardew: Sign players to keep Glasner at the club
Pardew rallied in support of the current Palace boss, suggesting Glasner, whose contract at Selhurst Park comes to an end in the summer, must be backed if the Eagles are intent on keeping him longer term.
"There's that situation with the manager," said Pardew on Super Sunday. "He's suggesting, 'I want some more players'. His contract is out in the summer. He's probably more important than anything else, to keep him at the club. He's done such a tremendous job.
"If I were the board, I'd be looking to feed him a player or two.
"And Marc Guehi is out of contract in the summer and could sign a pre-contract in January. I just think with the board they have there, American ownership, there is finance available. Whether they can get the targets over the line is another matter - it's always difficult in January."
Hughes: It's not energy that's the problem, it's finishing
Palace midfielder Will Hughes has refuted suggestions that Palace's poor form is down to fatigue. The FA Cup holders have had to deal with a hectic festive schedule, competing across the league, Conference League and Carabao Cup this month.
Their fixture list will grow in the new year with the FA Cup and two extra play-offs in Europe to reach the last 16 of the Conference League. Palace also have six players, more than any other team, among the top 13 Premier League players to have played the most minutes across all competitions.
Asked about whether fatigue is to blame for their recent slump, Hughes told Sky Sports: "It's nothing to do with energy or fatigue. We're just going through one of those stages now, all teams go through it, where they create chances and don't put the ball in the back of the net.
"Unfortunately, we're going through it at the moment. We're creating chances, which is the most important thing. The next stage is putting the ball in the back of the net and results will change."
What are Crystal Palace's plans for the January transfer window?
The transfer window re-opens on Thursday, January 1. Read here as Sky Sports takes you through Crystal Palace's plans for the transfer window.
Take a deep dive into potential incomings, outgoings and a look at which players have entered the final six months of their terms at Selhurst Park.
