The Oliver Glasner era commences on Saturday afternoon for Crystal Palace, who welcome Burnley to Selhurst Park in their latest Premier League encounter.
Ray Lewington led the Eagles to a 1-1 draw with Everton on Monday evening, whereas the Clarets were humiliated 5-0 at home to Arsenal on a rainy Turf Moor afternoon.
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Preparations for Palace's Goodison Park stopover were far from straightforward for the Eagles, who were shaken by Roy Hodgson being taken ill during a training session before the veteran manager stepped down from his position, rather than face the sack from his superiors.
Despite previous concerns that a lack of available - and willing - candidates would prolong Palace's wait for a successor, former Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Oliver Glasner, a Europa League winner with Die Adler in 2022, would sign on the dotted line and was in the stands to witness the Eagles give Everton a good run for their money on Monday.
Before also relinquishing his Selhurst Park duties, Lewington witnessed Jordan Ayew give Palace the lead with a stunning long-range effort, but an 84th-minute Amadou Onana header denied the Eagles their first triumph of the month.
A point was still a praiseworthy outcome for the capital charges, who sit 15th in the table with 25 points from as many matches - five clear of Luton Town in the relegation zone - ahead of Glasner's Premier League baptism, where he will follow Ralph Hasenhuttl as just the second Austrian to manage in the competition.
However, of the 15 previous permanent head coaches to oversee a Premier League game for Crystal Palace, only Alan Pardew won his first game at the helm - a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in January 2015 - and the Eagles have shipped at least one goal in each of their last eight home contests in the top flight.
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Sharing Palace's pain when it comes to a lack of clean sheets on their own patch, Burnley's day was as miserable as the weather during last weekend's visit of Arsenal, who followed up their 6-0 annihilation of West Ham United with a five-goal demolition of Vincent Kompany's troops.
In a battle between two of Pep Guardiola's proteges, Mikel Arteta taught Kompany a footballing lesson as Bukayo Saka (two), Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard breached James Trafford's net, subjecting Burnley to their heaviest Premier League home loss of the season so far.
Also shipping five goals to the Gunners' North London foes Tottenham Hotspur a few months back, only Sheffield United (65) have let more strikes fly past them than the Clarets' 55, and Kompany's men remain on a one-way street back down to the second tier in 19th place in the Premier League rankings, seven points behind Everton in the safety of 17th spot.
Still without a single triumph in any tournament since the turn of the year, Burnley have also shipped three goals in each of their last three Premier League away losses - albeit to Manchester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa - but trips to the capital normally do not bode well for the Clarets.
Indeed, Burnley have failed to win any of their last 22 games in London when conceding at least once, and Palace prevailed 2-0 at Turf Moor in November's reverse fixture, snapping a five-game winless run against the Clarets stretching back to pre-COVID times in 2019.
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A proprietor of the three-man defence, Glasner witnessed Palace employ a 3-4-2-1 setup - which will seemingly be the go-to moving forward - for the clash with Everton on Monday night, where no fewer than seven troops were unavailable.
Integral attackers Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are still nursing their thigh problems, while Marc Guehi's knee is also giving him grief, and Will Hughes is still struggling to overcome a foot problem.
Glasner confirmed on Friday that no players would be back in time for the weekend, meaning that the aforementioned quartet join Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), Rob Holding (ankle) and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh) on the sidelines again.
Burnley's five-goal defeat to Arsenal was not only forgettable for scoreline reasons, as Aaron Ramsey was the victim of what looked to be an extremely severe knee injury in the second half; the 21-year-old was given oxygen as he was taken off the field to warm applause.
The midfielder is now confirmed to be missing the rest of the season and joins Luca Koleosho (knee), Lyle Foster (surgery) and Nathan Redmond (thigh) on the absent list for Saturday's game, where Jordan Beyer (thigh) is also likely to miss out.
With Ramsay sidelined, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Mike Tresor - expected to return to the squad following a few various issues - will fight it out to return to the Clarets' XI out wide, and Kompany may also consider refreshing a leaky backline with the inclusions of Vitinho or Charlie Taylor.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Johnstone; Ward, Richards, Andersen; Munoz, Wharton, Lerma, Mitchell; Ayew, Edouard; Mateta
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni, Fofana
We say: Crystal Palace 1-0 Burnley
While Palace may take some time to adjust to Glasner's new approach, the Eagles could afford a pat on the back for their display against Everton and should face Burnley with a sturdy defensive structure.
As such, a Clarets side bereft of belief or rearguard discipline should be in for another disappointing afternoon in the capital, where Glasner's reign ought to get off to the perfect start.
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Ben Knapton
