Oliver Glasner was frustrated with the lack of effort from some of his Crystal Palace squad during Sunday’s final day draw with Liverpool.
The Eagles took the lead inside ten minutes on Liverpool’s Premier League crowning afternoon when Tyrick Mitchell intercepted Connor Bradley’s loose pass and threaded an incisive through ball to Ismaila Sarr in between the Reds’ split defence.
The Senegalese international, one-on-one with Alisson, drove his effort into the bottom corner, and at that point, Palace were tenth in the top flight.
Palace had plenty of openings on the break at Anfield and were dangerous in transition, but could not find the final pass or end-product in front of goal to extend their lead.
Liverpool were reduced to ten men with 20 minutes to play when Ryan Gravenberch brought last man Daichi Kamada down just inside his own half after miscontrolling the ball and slipping.
However, the Reds were in the ascendancy despite Gravenberch’s dismissal, and they capitalised on Romain Esse’s poor decision-making, breaking at speed before Premier League Golden Boot winner Mohammed Salah topped the move off with his swiped finish into the top corner.
Palace boss Glasner withdrew 19-year-old Esse soon after the mistake and told the News Shopper in his post-match press conference that “He knows why he was subbed and that’s enough”.
Glasner also criticised the absence of teamwork from a few of his players on the final day of the season.
“I have two feelings today, I’m not really pleased with our performance, not in general but a few players didn’t play 100% for the team and how we want to play.
“I didn’t like to see this. There was a little bit of ego in some situations. That’s why we drew, because there were so many situations to win this game.
“I don’t forget our start to the season, where it was a little bit similar and we missed our chances and opportunities because of a lack of determination.
“I felt this today, which is why I am not pleased with the performance. We can always find excuses. It’s easy to find excuses. If we always find excuses, we’d be at the bottom end of the table and relegated.
“There’s always a reason for something, there’s always a reason for missing chances, always a reason for whatever.
“We prepared in a professional way. We arrived yesterday. So if somebody didn’t want to play today, then they should have just told me, and then they could have stayed at home in London.
“When we go to Liverpool and play here at Anfield in front of 60,000, then I expect complete focus, determination and commitment, and I don’t think every player did that today.
“We are talking about raising our standards and a few things that I saw today, I don’t accept. It’s just my feeling today.
“Maybe it’s a little unfair when you see the big picture over the season. But if we have the mindset from today, next season we will struggle again and I don’t want to experience that again.
“The goal was to play 100% Crystal Palace football. We lost the ball, went on a great counter-press press and then it’s about the habits. Tyrick Mitchell wins the ball and he knows our far ten is free – we’ve scored so many goals like this.
“Then I expect that we are that focused because you have just time for two or three touches, and Tyrick, who was fantastic today, found Ismaila.
“He runs one-on-one with the keeper, but not everyone had the focus to find the free player with one or two touches that’s needed to play against the Champions.
“I know that it’s not the individual quality; we just didn’t have the focus on the day. The goal was fantastic, how it happened and how Ismaila finished.
“It’s an unbeaten end to the season, point record and FA Cup winners.
“Overall, it’s a fantastic season, and hopefully we learn from this game and don’t make the same mistakes when we meet for pre-season.”
A point away to Premier League winners Liverpool took Crystal Palace’s points tally to a record-breaking 53, finishing 12th in the top-flight.
