rewrite this title Glasner credits Mateta´s patience ahead of Brentford test – Soccer News

Oliver Glasner has hailed Jean-Philippe Mateta for maintaining a positive attitude during a difficult start to the season, with the Crystal Palace frontman in top form ahead of Sunday’s clash with Brentford.

Mateta scored twice as Palace beat West Ham 2-0 last time out, taking him to four goals in his last three Premier League games.

He is now on eight goals for the campaign overall, having taken time to get up to speed at the start of 2024-25 after representing France at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Commenting on Mateta’s upturn at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Glasner said: “He was away for weeks for the Olympics, he lost the final and then had to come back four days before the start of the Premier League.

“No-one could be ready for the next competition – it’s just human. It took him time. I think I benched him two or three times and he always stayed positive. He was always a good guy.”

Palace lost 2-1 at Brentford on the opening matchday, leaving Glasner well aware of the Bees’ qualities.

“Brentford are very, very dangerous in transition with their pace,” he said. “They have a clear structure, but they also sometimes press very hard. We think we’ve found some weaknesses we want to exploit.

“We want the game to fit to our style. Then it’s who gets it better down on the pitch, because I think Thomas Frank will be preparing in the same way.”

Brentford are 11th in the table, one point and one place ahead of Palace, having lost 2-0 to Liverpool last week courtesy of two late Darwin Nunez goals.

Prior to that defeat, they fought back for a 2-2 draw against Manchester City, and Frank has been impressed by their recent performances.

“It was two very good games. The Manchester City game got us the most praise,” Frank said.

“It was more even but the more I look back at our game against Liverpool, in some ways that was equally as good.

“I thought we defended brilliantly, and I think we had dangerous attacks. The right pass could have made it a big chance and goal. Now we just need to do it again.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta

Since Glasner’s first Premier League game in charge of Palace on February 24 last year, only three players have scored more goals than Mateta (21 in 35 games).

Meanwhile, among all players with at least 10 goals in that time, only Nottingham Forest’s striker Chris Wood (29.9%) has better conversion rate than Mateta (29.6%).

Brentford – Mark Flekken

Brentford goalkeeper Flekken has made 101 saves in 22 Premier League appearances this season, the most of any goalkeeper.

It is the most saves per game (4.6) by a goalkeeper to play 20 or more games in a Premier League season since Jordan Pickford for Sunderland in 2016-17 (4.7).

MATCH PREDICTION – CRYSTAL PALACE WIN

Having beaten West Ham 2-0 in their last Premier League game, Palace are looking to win consecutive London derbies for the first time since April 2017, when they beat Chelsea and Arsenal, with this their 80th London derby since then.

The Eagles have won their last two Premier League matches without conceding a goal, triumphing 2-0 at Leicester City and West Ham. They last won three in a row without conceding between February and June 2020 (four).

Neutrals should expect entertainment, though, as Brentford’s 22 Premier League games this season have produced 79 goals (40 for, 39 against), with only games containing Tottenham (80) and Wolves (83) seeing more.

If Brentford concede in this game, they will be one of only three teams to both score and concede 40 or more goals in as few as 23 games in a season, after Spurs in 2007-08 (22 games) and Leeds United in 2020-21 (23 games).

Palace have lost just two of their last 14 Premier League matches (six wins, six draws), having lost three in a row beforehand. From the date on which this run began (October 27), only Liverpool (zero) and Arsenal (one) have lost fewer matches.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace – 45.4%

Brentford – 29.5%

Draw – 25.1%