Better than Sarr: The new Eze is Crystal Palace’s most important player

Crystal Palace are returning to form in the Premier League. Oliver Glasner‘s side defeated Tottenham Hotspur in north London on Thursday evening and moved up to 13th with 38 points. Safety is likely at this stage.

While uncertainty still reigns as Glasner moves toward the end of his time at Selhurst Park, the Austrian coach has the chance to make it back-to-back title-winning seasons, the Eagles preparing for a two-legged last 16 tie against AEK Larnaca in the Conference League.

More importantly, this was a fluent performance, suggesting Palace are getting back to their best at a crucial point in the campaign. Here’s how they did it.

How Crystal Palace beat Spurs

Tottenham have been their own worst enemy in the Premier League this season, but Crystal Palace applied pressure down N17 and watched their opponents wither.

When Micky van de Ven hauled Ismaila Sarr to the ground, Palace were 1-0 down, though Sarr was unfortunate to have seen a goal chalked off after his nose was adjudged to have been offside. No matter, he converted from the spot.

Sarr would score again, but not before club-record recruit Jorgen Strand Larsen bagged his third goal from seven outings in all competitions, joining the outfit from Wolves for £48m this winter.

Even before the red card, Palace were worth their money, not exactly at their free-flowing best but resilient as the hosts looked to build.

In a world of big-money misfires, Strand Larsen looks to have been a shrewd purchase, especially with Jean-Philippe Mateta tipped to leave at the end of the season.

Sarr and Strand Larsen grew their tallies this season, but neither of them was the star of the show. That honour belonged to someone in the middle of the park.

Palace MOTM is their most important player

Last summer, when Crystal Palace sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal for £67m, it felt like a big change. He was Selhurst Park’s talisman, after all, who scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Glasner’s project has wobbled off kilter this season, for sure, but the form of Adam Wharton in the centre of the park could be crucial to steadying the ship and heading toward more silverware, and maybe even a European push in the Premier League.

Tottenham could not deal with the 22-year-old. It was, quite simply, a sensational performance. Wharton was unplayable on the ball, combative when there was defending to do.

Football writer Henry Winter said that he “makes the game look effortless“, playing with style but substance too. Igor Tudor’s side could not contain him.

There is such elegance and grace to the England international’s midfield play. He racked up two assists on the evening, but he’d only notched one before that, and this willingness to advance into dangerous positions and probe at the opposition defence was one which Glasner must continue to utilise over the next few months.

Stylistically, Wharton and Eze are nothing alike, but he’s stepping up and taking on the focal role that his compatriot played over the past several years.

And like Eze, Wharton is only getting better after joining from Blackburn Rovers for around £18m in January 2023.

Both Palace icons started their careers in the EFL, neither spending all that much time in the Championship, as their quality was noticed from the off.

Just how much Wharton will achieve this season (and beyond) in Crystal Palace colours remains to be seen, but there’s no question that the continent’s heavyweights will be pining for his signature, and chairman Steve Parish has already made it known that it would cost such parties something in the region of £82m.

Sarr and Strand Larsen landed themselves some goals for their seasonal hauls, but Wharton, even without the two assists that created the victory, stole the show.

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