Eberechi Eze took dramatic measure before Arsenal transfer as Oliver Glasner reveals all

Oliver Glasner has revealed Eberechi Eze ruled himself out of the first leg of their Conference League play-off round tie against Fredrikstad at Selhurst Park. Eze was conspicuously absent from the matchday squad on Thursday night. Arsenal have done a deal with Palace to sign the England international, with a medical expected to be on Friday.

The Gunners would, therefore, be understandably uneasy about Eze playing for fear of any injury that could affect the agreement. Despite that, Glasner has acknowledged that the playmaker was due to start the match. However, the player then took matters into his own hands.

"Honestly, I expected that he would start today for us," the Palace boss conceded during a pre-match interview on Channel 5. "But he called me this morning and said that he doesn't feel well [enough] to play in the evening, and of course, I have to accept it, and everything else, you'll have to ask the chairman [Steve Parish]."

Glasner continued, "If a player tells me he is not ready to play, then we have to accept it. I called the player who starts instead, Justin Devenny, but he is ready; it is my responsibility to prepare the players that play for us in the best way.

"So it was quite a busy day. It is not what you want to do, to change the starting 11 on matchday, especially in this situation, the first time in European football for Crystal Palace, but we have to approach the game in the best way."

Glasner was also left uncertain whether Eze would even be at Selhurst Park on a momentous night for the club. Numerous young supporters arrived at the ground displaying signs dedicated to Eze, one hailing him as a "Palace legend" whilst another read: "My hero Eze! Thank you!".