Oliver Glasner “abandoned completely”: Could he leave Crystal Palace before end of season after latest critical comments?

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said he feels his squad is being “abandoned completely" and he has heavily criticised the club's board and transfer strategy.

The 51-year-old revealed in a bombshell-filled press conference on Friday that he will not be extending his deal at Selhurst Park and plans to “look for a new challenge” in the summer.

Glasner also confirmed that captain Marc Guehi is in the “final stages” of completing a move to another club - Manchester City - and subsequently missed Palace’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at Sunderland on Saturday.

The Eagles opened the scoring on the half-hour mark at the Stadium of Light through Yeremy Pino, but their advantage was short-lived as Enzo Le Fee swiftly restored parity for the Black Cats just three minutes later.

Brian Brobbey then celebrated scoring what proved to be the winning goal for Sunderland in the 71st minute, and Palace have seen their miserable winless run in all competitions extended to 10 games (D3 L7).

After the match, Glasner heavily criticised Palace’s hierarchy for a lack of support and is unimpressed with the decision to inform him about the sale of Guehi the day before facing Sunderland.

Glasner vents frustration at Palace’s board after Sunderland defeat

“I saw a team that left their heart on the pitch. We couldn’t make a substitution, we have no-one on the bench. I feel that we have been abandoned completely,” Glasner told BBC Match of the Day. “I can’t blame any player. They did they best they could. This has been for weeks and months now.

“With 12, 13 players in the squad available, I feel no support. Then the worst thing is we’re selling our captain one day before a Premier League game. I have no understanding for this. I have always kept my mouth [shut], but now I can’t because I have to defend these players.

“It was our 35th game today (in all competitions). Yes, we get under pressure here and we are unlucky, but if you can’t react, you can’t help them. That makes it really tough tonight.”

Glasner successfully steered Palace to their first major trophy when they won the FA Cup last May, which also secured the Eagles a place in Europe for the first time in their history - competing in the Conference League this season.

However, Palace sold talisman playmaker Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in the summer and they are now set to lose influential captain Guei midway through the season, with Glasner’s side sitting 13th in the Premier League table and six points behind the top six.

Asked who he feels abandoned by, Glasner replied: “Well I think it’s pretty clear. It’s pretty clear. Again, I didn’t sell anyone, so if you get your heart torn out twice this season, one day before a game - with Eze in the summer and Guehi now - what should I tell the players all the time?

“I see the performance today for 50-60 minutes, playing here was not easy with all the circumstances, coming here with 12 players from the squad, you have 15-20 minutes when you are under pressure, you conceded the goal, I look at the bench and I can’t react, just kids on the bench. This did not just happen yesterday, this is now weeks, months. That is why I’m really frustrated.”

He added: “Of course [the board] know it, we are talking all the time, but again, talk never wins a game.”

“No. Never”: Glasner will not leave Palace before end of the season

Asked if he would consider leaving Crystal Palace sooner, possibly this month, if he continues to feel this abandonment from the club’s board, Glasner insisted: “No. Never. I will go with this group of players until the end, because I have so much respect for their character.

“I see their disappointment, I see how hard they work. I see how hard they are fighting. They try and they try and they try, so there is no chance.

“I’ve said to the players we have to stick together. If we don’t get the support, it us that has to do it. There is nobody else, we are the only ones. We have to play and I know I can trust these players because they are giving everything and this will be right until the end.”

Glasner highlights difference in ambition between himself and Palace board

Glasner expressed more frustration about the club’s decision-making, adding: “For me, it always feels as soon as we (as a club) feel safe, not getting relegated, we don’t care. This is how I feel, otherwise no-one can explain why we are selling our captain one day before a Premier League game.

“I have no understanding and I heard [about Guehi’s sale] at 10:30am yesterday before the training, so negotiations must have been for at least a few days, and then I have to stand in front of the group and try and find an explanation. This is what makes be upset.

“Everybody wants the best, but it’s how you act. Then we can wait and say okay it doesn’t matter when all the other players come back, we will get the points we need to not get relegated. It’s all fine, a European season, it's all good and we prepare for another season of not getting relegated. This is how it feels at the moment.”

Following Glasner’s announcement that he will leave in the summer, Palace are understood to have already begun the process of finding a replacement, with three names identified as managers who could be ‘considered’ for the soon-to-be vacant position.

Palace will now turn their attention to their next Premier League game against Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea at Selhurst Park on January 25.