Oliver Glasner’s return to Crystal Palace with Nottingham Forest will bring an intriguing midfield comparison into focus, with James McAtee occupying the role previously filled so effectively by Adam Wharton at Selhurst Park.
After leaving Palace for Forest, Glasner set about reproducing the 3-4-2-1 system that had worked so well in south London. The two central midfielders are central to that structure, with Glasner previously describing them as the team’s “quarterbacks” because they help determine whether attacks progress quickly or possession is retained.
Wharton was the ideal fit for that responsibility at Palace, combining defensive awareness with the ability to influence matches in possession. At Forest, Glasner also needed to replace Elliot Anderson in the same area of the pitch, but the answer has come from an unexpected source in McAtee.
The 23-year-old arrived from Manchester City for £30m but started only two Premier League matches for Forest last season. Having previously developed as an attacking No 10, McAtee has now been moved considerably deeper by Glasner. His comfort in confined areas has allowed him to adapt to the demands of the new position.
That change has already produced impressive creative numbers. McAtee ranks among the Premier League’s leading chance creators at the start of the campaign, while only Morgan Gibbs-White has completed more passes leading to shots for Forest. His ability to play progressive passes through the lines has made him a key component of the direct, vertical approach Glasner also favoured at Palace.
The meeting at Selhurst Park therefore represents more than Glasner facing his former club. It will also pit his current midfield solution against the Palace player who previously performed the quarterback role, creating a clear contest between Wharton’s established influence and McAtee’s emergence in the same system.
Crystal Palace host Nottingham Forest on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday, with coverage beginning at 1pm and kick-off scheduled for 2pm.
