Crystal Palace return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon when Ipswich Town visit Selhurst Park, with Gary O’Neil warning his side about the quality available to the Eagles.
Speaking ahead of the 15:00 BST kick-off, the Ipswich manager singled out Adam Wharton after the midfielder reached 100 appearances for Palace this week. O’Neil, who played in midfield during his career, described Wharton as an exceptional passer and said Town would need to manage his influence if they are to take points back to Suffolk.
The Ipswich boss also pointed to Palace’s European success as evidence of their strength, insisting that winning a continental competition requires a strong squad. He expects a demanding afternoon in south London but said his team will approach the fixture with optimism and intensity as they search for their first away win.
O’Neil has already faced Pierre Sage this year, during their respective spells in Ligue 1. He believes Sage is shaping Palace in a way that retains some similarities with Oliver Glasner’s approach, including the use of a back five, while making different demands of the midfielders.
He also expects Selhurst Park’s compact pitch and atmosphere to create difficult spells for Ipswich. Town are close to having a fully available squad for the trip, with midfielder Jack Taylor the only confirmed absentee after not yet returning to full training.
O’Neil took charge of Ipswich after leaving Strasbourg and previously managed Bournemouth and Wolves in the Premier League. As a player, he made almost 500 senior appearances, including 174 for Portsmouth.
