Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has admitted that his team weighed the possibility of scoring a deliberate own goal during their recent clash with Liverpool. The discussion followed a highly debated goal by Daniel Munoz during the Reds’ 3-1 victory on Saturday.
The incident occurred when Munoz chipped the ball into an empty net while Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman lay injured on the turf. Although the goal stood, it sparked significant tension on the pitch and in the technical areas.
Glasner’s Stance on Fair Play
Addressing the media after the match, Glasner explained that he would have instructed his players to concede an own goal if Woodman had been forced to leave the game.
”We were actually discussing it,” Glasner revealed. “I felt that if the goalkeeper required a substitution, I would have definitely ordered an own goal. That would have signaled a serious injury, making it wrong to profit from the situation. However, in this instance, he felt immediate pain but was able to finish the match.”
The Palace manager also pointed out the difficulty referees face in these moments. He noted that goalkeepers often stay down after physical duels to prevent a second phase of play. Glasner argued that if referees stopped the match every time a keeper went to ground, it could negatively impact the flow of the game.
Arne Slot Voices Frustration
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was visibly frustrated by the decision of referee Andy Madley to let play continue. Slot criticized the lack of consistency regarding injury stoppages in the Premier League.
”The frequency of players feigning injury has become a tactical tool, and referees are falling for it,” Slot remarked. He compared the incident to a previous match against Manchester United where Alexis Mac Allister remained down with an injury that required five stitches, yet play was not halted. Slot expressed his disbelief that the game continued while a goalkeeper was clearly incapacitated on the floor.
A Question of Sportsmanship
While Daniel Munoz did not break any formal rules, his choice to capitalize on Woodman’s injury has divided fans. Critics argue that the player had sufficient time to recognize the goalkeeper’s distress and stop play himself.
The match concluded with Liverpool securing fourth place in the standings after three consecutive wins. While the result favors the Reds, the debate over Munoz’s strike and the ethics of “playing to the whistle” continues to overshadow the final score.