Oliver Glasner hopes Ismaila Sarr gets credit at home after double for Palace

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner hopes matchwinner Ismaila Sarr gets the same credit from his wife and children as he does from his team-mates at Selhurst Park.

The forward netted a brace as Palace eased to a 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar that got their Conference League campaign back on track after defeat last time out.

It took the Senegal international to eight goals for the season in all competitions as the Eagles maintained their impressive start to the campaign.

“He gets my credit definitely,” said Glasner, whose team climbed to ninth in the table. “He gets our credit. I hope the most important credit he gets from his wife and his four children.

“It looks like he’s dealing really well with it. When he has space, he’s really good. He makes great runs, such great finishes.

“He’s the one with the most pace and the most runs in behind. He has the most sprinting distances and creates space for the others. He’s done really well.”

Palace already led through Maxence Lacroix’s first-half goal when Sarr netted to double the lead just before half-time, poking home from close range having previously been denied by a wonderful save from goalkeeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.

The lead might have been greater at the break had Jean-Philippe Mateta not seen his early penalty, again won by Sarr, saved by the keeper.

After Alkmaar pulled one back in the second half, the 27-year-old struck again to restore his team’s cushion, racing onto Mateta’s through ball to finish.

He was denied the chance to make it a hat-trick when he was substituted with Sunday’s game at home to rivals Brighton in mind.

“He mentioned yesterday a very small tightness in his hamstring,” said Glasner. “I said we have a game on Sunday as well, then he plays for Senegal, fortunately here in London. We have to manage the minutes.”

The win got Palace’s European campaign moving again after they were defeated by AEK Larnaca two weeks ago.

“It’s a huge difference if you have six points after three games or three points,” said Glasner. “The first 24 will qualify. To be realistic it looks like this should happen.”

The manager said the tight schedule posed by the European and Premier League calendars has impacted the amount he is able to work with his squad.

“We have very small time for training. Which kind of topic do we prefer, because we can’t train defence and attack and set-plays and transitions. It’s just not possible.

“We have to be careful in the training sessions they don’t sprint too much because they have to sprint in the games. We have to prioritise.”