Oliver Glasner has shifted focus back to domestic action as Crystal Palace prepare to host West Ham United under the Selhurst Park lights on Monday night.
Fresh from an impressive UEFA Conference League quarter-final triumph in Florence, Palace return to Premier League duty aiming to build momentum and secure a third consecutive win over the Hammers.
With confidence flowing from their European exploits, Glasner is urging his side to maintain their rhythm and intensity as they push forward.
“We stopped a few weeks ago, or maybe months, talking about league positions,” said Glasner.
“We focused more on the way we are playing, on the football we want to show on the pitch, and this helped us to perform better.
“The consequence of this was that we got more points and more wins. I think this is what we need to keep until the end of the season.
“We’re not talking about the table because it’s so tight and things can happen. It can change quickly, so really our focus is on our football, what we want to do, what we have to do.
“And we want to feel this great energy and spirit – then we will see and at the end [of the season] we will get what we deserve.”
Meanwhile, West Ham arrive in improved form, battling hard to distance themselves from the relegation zone.
Glasner acknowledged their resurgence and expects a fiercely competitive encounter as both sides look to seize control early.
“Huge credit to Nuno for what he did [since his appointment]. They were really struggling at the beginning of the season and even when he arrived, but in the last weeks they feel more consistent.
“I think honestly they maybe should have more points from their performances in the recent games they played. They only conceded a late equaliser against Manchester United at home.
“They had a great and important 4-0 win against Wolves at home in their last game. We expect them to be highly motivated and very aggressive because they’re fighting against relegation.
“That’s what we have to be ready for, to match their aggression and motivation. But the players showed it against Newcastle because it was the same situation.
“Newcastle were fresh and we had three days after a game in the Conference League.
“But we matched their intensity and motivation. If we can keep this, I think we’ll also be able to win against West Ham.”
As the fixture list tightens, squad management becomes increasingly vital.
Glasner highlighted the importance of fitness levels and rotation, especially following demanding European fixtures.
“We will always see how the players are recovering. If players are still fatigued, it’s better to play ones who are fresh.
“You need to be 100% fit to be competitive in the Premier League. As soon as we have a feeling maybe a player is just 95%, another one will play and now we have better depth in the squad.
“At the moment we don’t have a lot of injuries so this gives us the opportunity to make more changes if necessary.
“We had to make a change when Evann [Guessand] got injured in the first Fiorentina game, but this can happen.
“But we will always play the best available team.
“As soon as you’re not on your top level it’s really tough to win games.”
With momentum on their side and Selhurst Park set to be buzzing, Palace will look to press forward and translate their European confidence into another crucial Premier League result.
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