Oliver Glasner is on the verge of taking Crystal Palace to a cup final in consecutive seasons, only this time it is the UEFA Europa Conference League. Having secured a thorough first-leg win over Shakhtar Donetsk in Poland, the Eagles have one foot into the final if they can manage the upcoming second leg at Selhurst Park.
Ismaila Sarr got the team going early with the fastest ever goal in Conference League history, but Shakhtar equalised early in the second half through Oleh Ocheretko. When things looked poised to go in either direction, Daichi Kamada got his goal to restore the lead, and substitute Jørgen Strand Larsen was on point to seal a 3-1 away win and bring a massive advantage back to Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace did not have the best of preparations for the second leg, as they suffered a 3-0 loss away from home at Bournemouth. There are elements to the result, as Glasner did make considerable changes to the side in the hope of keeping his key stars fresh, with all eyes on their second leg against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Meanwhile, Shakhtar boss Arda Turan will hope for a big response from his players and look to take advantage of Palace’s form from their weekend performance. The Ukrainian side have won four of their last five games across all competitions, but there are questions over the quality of those opponents, as their solitary loss in that period came against the Londoners.
The one thing that will keep Turan confident is the ball domination his Shakhtar side had in the first leg, where they also registered more shots. Should they manage similar numbers with a more clinical approach, the visitors will stand a chance to surprise Palace in the second leg, but they will enter the reverse fixture as underdogs, mainly because of the first leg scoreline.
Oliver Glasner does not have fresh problems to deal with following the loss to Bournemouth, as he is expected to field his strongest eleven for the return leg at Selhurst Park. Many of the key starters will return and assume their respective positions, especially at the back.
Glasner will rely on a back three of Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards, and Maxence Lacroix, while Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell manage the wing-back roles. Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada are the preferred midfield pairing for the Austrian boss, meaning Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes will have to stay content with a place on the bench.
Ismaila Sarr will be the obvious danger man from a Shakhtar perspective, with Yeremy Pino likely to be preferred in the attacking setup. Jean-Philippe Mateta will lead the line for the hosts ahead of Jorgen Strand Larsen, as Glasner has preferred the Frenchman of late for his experience and goalscoring prowess.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta
Arda Turan did ring the changes for the weekend when they faced close rivals Dynamo Kyiv in the league. However, he is expected to go back to the team that started last week against Palace, meaning Mykola Matviyenko will lead the side and keep his place at the heart of the defence. He will have Valeriy Bondar alongside him, while Vinicius Tobias and Pedrinho will take up the full-back roles.
Oleg Ocheretko was the sole midfielder at the base for Shakhtar Donetsk and produced the only goal for the team, and he will continue in that role. Attacking midfielder Pedrinho will keep his place alongside Marlon Gomes, while Alisson Santana and Eguinaldo will provide the width.
Kaua Elias will lead the line for Shakhtar Donetsk against Crystal Palace, while there are other options like Newerton and Isaque on the bench for Turan to consider during the game.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Riznyk; Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pedro Henrique; Ocheretko; Alison, Pedrinho, Gomes, Eguinaldo; Elias
The French striker did not make a big contribution in the first leg, but once again, the signs point to Oliver Glasner starting him as his leading striker ahead of Jorgen Strand Larsen. There are suggestions he could be leaving the club in the summer, and what better way to bow out than by helping deliver a European trophy? Mateta will be a big threat to the Shakhtar defence on Thursday.
Mateta will be expected to have a significant impact on proceedings, and he could deliver a big performance in this home leg to take Crystal Palace through to their maiden European final. His form has also been bright over the last several weeks since his return to the setup, making him the clear man to watch.
Shakhtar Donetsk will come into this game looking to emulate their performance from the first leg, where they kept more of the ball and were a bit more threatening. However, there are significant challenges ahead for Arda Turan and his charges to secure a big win, as they will be the team under pressure to score at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace will take solace in the big advantage they hold from the first leg, as Oliver Glasner will set up to counter Shakhtar when the time is right. The hosts could effectively kill the game with an early goal, just as they did in the first leg, and they are the favourites to progress to the Conference League final with a win at Selhurst Park.
