Crystal Palace: Eberechi Eze now 'under pressure' at Selhurst Park

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·28 de septiembre de 2023

Crystal Palace: Eberechi Eze now 'under pressure' at Selhurst Park

Highlights

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has struggled to reach his usual high level of performance this season, causing problems for the club.
Eze's standout performance in the last Premier League win highlights his potential as a game-changer for Crystal Palace.
The absence of injured player Michael Olise puts more pressure on Eze to step up and make things happen for the team.

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is not living up to his role as the 'game changer' at Selhurst Park, which is causing the club problems for one major reason, journalist Dean Jones suggested to GIVEMESPORT.

Eze has been one of the standout Crystal Palace players for some time, but the Englishman has so far struggled to reach his usual lofty heights.

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Crystal Palace 'game changer' Eberechi Eze - Latest

It's not been a season to write home about for Crystal Palace so far, with the Eagles having endured some mixed results on the pitch and a mini-injury crisis off it. With key players out of the side, the onus has been on Eze to step up and deliver results for the south London outfit.

That was the case in Crystal Palace's last Premier League win when Eze netted for Roy Hodgson's side during the 3-2 victory over strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the attacker finishing the game with an 8.5 match rating on Fotmob. Creating four chances, completing three dribbles and completing the game with a 100% shot-on-target rate, Eze was the standout man on the pitch for Crystal Palace, but that's something that hasn't been seen enough this campaign.

The 25-year-old failed to register a match rating above 7.0 in the two following Premier League matches, which unsurprisingly have both ended up as Crystal Palace defeats. It appears the capital club only click into gear when Eze is on form this season - something which is causing the Eagles a major problem because of one specific reason.

Eberechi Eze has to step up sharpish for Crystal Palace - Dean Jones

When quizzed by GIVEMESPORT on Eze's form, journalist Jones was blunt in his assessment of the creative gem, insisting his performances haven't been to the level Hodgson and Co. will have wanted. Referencing Michael Olise's extended period on the sideline as a reason why Eze needs to step it up, the reliable reporter dubbed the London-born star a 'game changer' for Crystal Palace:

“They're definitely missing Olise already, so the news he is out for even longer is a blow and Roy Hodgson will be disappointed about that. They seemed a bit blunt against Fulham at the weekend, there was never a moment in that match where the opponent particularly felt under pressure. You're watching it and you're just constantly waiting for Eze to make something happen. “Maybe it's slightly unfair that he's got so much expectation on him in that sense. But the problem is, the longer Olise is out, the more that expectation is going to grow and the pressure is going to be on his shoulders to actually make things happen. “So yeah, as he was a bit quiet against Fulham at the weekend, and unfortunately, from his point of view there aren't going to be too many afternoons where that's going to be able to be the case if this Crystal Palace team are going to flourish because he is the guy who is meant to be the game changer.”

Michael Olise injury update - Latest

Olise is yet to feature in a match of any kind for Crystal Palace this season, having picked up a hamstring injury while on international duty in the summer. Initially expected to be missing until the autumn time, the bad news for Crystal Palace fans is he's unlikely to be back in the starting-11 for a while yet.

It was reported earlier this month that Olise had suffered an injury setback and was going to be missing for longer than first expected. While his official return date isn't yet known, it's unlikely Olise will be pulling on a Crystal Palace shirt until November at least, making Eze's performances even more crucial heading forward.

How much is Eberechi Eze worth?

Had things panned out differently for the Englishman this summer, he could've been playing for the Premier League champions instead. It was claimed in the final days of the transfer window that Manchester City were planning to splash £60 million on the former Queens Park Rangers starlet.

Pep Guardiola is said to be a huge fan of the way Eze carries the ball forward, with the Catalan boss also impressed by his ability to create chances out of nothing.

Obviously, the deal didn't materialise, but having watched Wilfried Zaha depart at the end of last season, alongside Olise's extended time in the treatment room, losing Eze as well could've seriously derailed the early part of Crystal Palace's campaign.