Oliver Glasner says Crystal Palace 'won't rotate a lot' against Arsenal or Brentford

AFC BournemouthArsenalAston VillaBrentfordBrighton & Hove AlbionBurnleyChelseaCrystal PalaceEvertonFulhamLeeds UnitedLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedNottingham ForestSunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedWolverhampton WanderersScores & ScheduleStandingsFantasyThe Athletic FC NewsletterPodcastsFA Cup Final UpdatesAndy Morrison InterviewPL Title Race Palace could have a hand in deciding who wins the title when they play Arsenal on the final day. Alex Pantling/Getty Images Share articleCrystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has strongly indicated that he will put out a strong team for their final two Premier League games. Palace face Brentford on Sunday and host title contenders Arsenal on the final day of the season before playing the UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano three days later, but Glasner has suggested he will not make wholesale changes to his starting XI. For Palace’s 3-0 defeat by Arsenal’s title rivals Manchester City on Wednesday, he made four changes from the team which drew 2-2 with Everton last weekend, before making pre-planned substitutions after an hour, something he says will continue. He previously said he would make five substitutions in each of his side’s final games. But he dismissed the idea that he would field a completely changed side on the final day, believing that playing a team close to the strongest available to him gives Palace the best chance of victory in Leipzig. “I think we talked too much about it,” Glasner said in his press conference before the trip to Brentford. “I will tell the players today — I felt it, we need to stop it. This was why we could win the FA Cup, because we never prioritised the FA Cup. We had the first big rotation after winning it on Tuesday against Wolves, but not before. “So we won’t rotate a lot. Yes, we will maybe make more and earlier substitutions like we did now, maybe after 60, 70 minutes latest, maybe one or two at half-time if that’s possible, but everything else we won’t do. This is a little bit different to last year and also to the end of the season. We had to rotate because, for example, City was the third game within six days, and this is now the fourth game within 10 days. But then we have two games in 10 days.” Palace’s European campaign has taken its toll on the squad at various stages of the season and with a relatively small squad, of which Glasner has preferred to play a core of around 18 senior players, they have played 58 games, with three more to come. He cited the mental fatigue of his squad as a factor in their 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth a fortnight ago after the game followed victory over Shakthar Donetsk in the Conference League semi-final three days earlier, but says that should no longer be an issue and is not a reason to rotate heavily. “If you play the last Premier League game and then a European final, there can’t be mental fatigue. If somebody is mentally fatigued, he just can’t be. Many go to the World Cup, so if they are already fatigued, how should they play a World Cup? No, if you have such a big game ahead, it’s about having a lot of energy. When I talk about it, I get goosebumps because this is what we want. “This is what we have now. Brentford, then we have Arsenal — the last home game at Selhurst is amazing, celebrating this fantastic season again with our fans. And then going all together to Leipzig and saying, ‘Wow, this is maybe once in a lifetime.’ At least until now, it’s once in Crystal Palace’s lifetime playing this final. So forget all about it.” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms