Evann Guessand’s last-gasp effort enough as Crystal Palace defeat 10-man Wolves

Evann Guessand scored a last-gasp winner as Crystal Palace secured a 1-0 Premier League victory over 10-man Wolves at Selhurst Park to ease the pressure on manager Oliver Glasner.

Palace came into the contest having won just one of their previous 15 matches across all competitions and avoided falling to a first-half deficit when captain Dean Henderson saved Tolu Arokodare’s 43rd-minute penalty.

Wolves went down to 10 men in the 61st minute when Ladislav Krejci was sent off following a second yellow card, moments after he was first booked.

Guessand broke the deadlock on the stroke of normal time with his first goal in a Palace shirt, lifting a sour mood in south London that was compounded by Thursday night’s disappointing Conference League draw at Zrinjski Mostar.

Glasner did not deny the mood in south London had felt less than jovial, taking some responsibility for the sentiment in a pre-match TV interview.

But the Austrian had also challenged the Eagles’ supporter base in his pre-match press conference when asked about their vocal response to that 1-1 draw at Zrinjski, urging them to “stay humble”, and adding: “I think a few who are so critical in this situation are not humble anymore.”

Palace fans made their feelings about those comments known on Sunday with a banner raised in the Holmesdale Road end reading “opportunities missed – board inept. Fans disrespected – Glasner finished” and used a second-half injury pause to chant “staying humble”.

The hosts opened the contest with a great chance that came to nothing when Yeremy Pino latched onto Yerson Mosquera’s poor back pass and completely misdirected his lob.

The rhythm remained staccato midway through the half, when Hugo Bueno won an aerial challenge from a Wolves corner without anyone to meet it on the bounce, and there was a weak effort from Mateus Mane which rolled right into the hands of Dean Henderson, who later made a save from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s free-kick.

The hosts then came within inches of an opener from a Will Hughes corner, taken short and directed to Adam Wharton, who found Pino with a quick touch. The Spain international came within range this time, clipping the left post with his effort.

It looked like Wolves would head into the break with the lead after Wharton’s last-resort challenge – and a VAR check – resulted in a penalty.

But Henderson ensured no damage would be done, guessing correctly when he dived to his left to deny Arokodare.

The visitors put Palace under pressure as the second period got underway and there was an Eagles chance for Tyrick Mitchell, who tested Pedro Sa with a volley.

Krejci was then sent off – three minutes after his initial booking – following a second yellow card for kicking the ball away and losing his impassioned protest to referee Tom Kirk that the ball was still in play.

Wolves managed to fend off the hosts until the stroke of half-time, when Guessand opened his Palace account.

The Aston Villa loanee, who joined the Eagles in January, was perfectly teed up by Mitchell’s cutback and prodded the ball home in the 90th minute.