Palace's Worm Nightmare: Glasner Exit Looms!

Crystal Palace vs. the Lampton Worm (Sort Of)

There’s something strangely poetic about Crystal Palace’s current situation. The club, riding high in the Premier League and punching well above its weight in Europe, now finds itself facing the footballing equivalent of the Lampton Worm — a strange beast that’s grown bigger than expected and threatens to swallow the estate whole. Only in this case, the creature isn’t a giant salamander. It’s a mix of a congested fixture list, a manager who's likely on his way out, and a Europa Conference League tie against a team that sounds like a Scandinavian IKEA flatpack: Fredrikstad.

Palace fans might want to bring garlic, silver bullets, and maybe a few extra stewards. That’s because the club has asked the Met Police for additional security ahead of this weekend’s match, preparing as if Viking invaders are about to descend. And in some ways, they are — Fredrikstad, while unlikely to actually pillage Selhurst Park, do present a scheduling headache. The Thursday-Sunday rotation is a familiar horror story for teams in Europe’s third-tier competition, and it could disrupt Palace’s promising domestic form.

Still, there’s little panic about the Norwegians themselves. Fredrikstad might come in with a horned helmet or two, but Lars Sivertsen’s scouting report suggests they’re more village fete than berserker raid. Palace should win this comfortably — but the real concern is what comes next.

Glasner’s Great Escape?

The name Oliver Glasner has become synonymous with overachievement. After guiding Eintracht Frankfurt to a Europa League title, he’s now turned Crystal Palace into a top-half Premier League team with silverware to boot. And yet, despite this impressive CV, Glasner looks set to walk away at the end of the season. No, it's not about money. It’s about ambition — or rather, the lack of it.

Glasner's stock is sky-high. He’s taken Palace to the Europa Conference League, won domestic cups, and kept them competitive despite losing key players and receiving limited transfer backing. That kind of performance usually earns you a war chest in the summer. Instead, he got a £67 million sale of Eberechi Eze and not much in return. You’d forgive him for looking at the club’s balance sheet and wondering if he’s been cast as the hero in someone else's budget horror flick.

So it's no surprise that top European clubs are reportedly circling. Glasner is the kind of manager who survives the manager domino game — while others fall, he lands somewhere better. If you’re betting on where he’ll be next, keep your eyes on clubs like Bayern Munich or maybe even a Premier League rival with a bigger checkbook and bigger ambitions.

Weekend Betting Rundown: Goals, Gaffes, and Gut Calls

Now, onto the weekend’s matches and what they mean for your wallet. Starting with Arsenal vs. Brighton — the Gunners have been gifted three own goals in a row at home. Brighton, meanwhile, couldn’t score in a bakery right now. Expect Arsenal to win but keep it tidy. The bet? Arsenal and under 4.5 goals.

Liverpool, injury-riddled and missing key players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota, are still heavy favorites against Wolves. That says more about Wolves than it does about Liverpool. Take Liverpool to win with a clean sheet or cover the -1.5 Asian handicap.

Everton are a quiet juggernaut when it comes to clean sheets against weaker sides. They’re facing Burnley, who are in a rut. Bet on Everton to win to nil.

Brentford vs. Bournemouth could be a goalfest. With Semenyo potentially on his way out and both teams shaky at the back, over 2.5 goals is a smart play.

Chelsea vs. Aston Villa is a bit trickier. Villa have been on a blinding run, but that kind of form eventually dips. Chelsea might catch them at the right time. Given both teams’ goal-scoring form, betting on both teams to score looks like value.

And finally, Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace. With Palace facing fixture congestion and a potentially distracted manager, Spurs could be a live underdog. The safer bet? Over 2.5 goals. Tottenham’s matches have been anything but boring lately — they’ve hit that total in eight of their last nine.

Manchester United: Bounce or Flop?

Manchester United are fifth in the table and somehow still feel like they're in crisis. Their away record would have the tabloids calling for heads if they were Arsenal or Liverpool. But because it’s United, and because Erik ten Hag occasionally smiles, the criticism is softer. The truth is: they’re inconsistent, and betting on them is a roll of the dice.

The same goes for Newcastle. Eddie Howe’s side is underperforming, yet largely escaping scrutiny thanks to a bit of English bias. Don’t be surprised if they get upset soon. And if you’re looking for a longshot, Wolves to finish under 10.5 points this season might be a cheeky value bet, given their recent form.

Meanwhile, West Ham is trying to future-proof its squad by buying players for managers who don’t exist yet. It’s like buying a Christmas present for a child that hasn’t been born. Fulham’s current form makes them a smart draw-no-bet pick against a Hammers side that’s forgotten how to win at home.

Takeaways

• Crystal Palace should handle Fredrikstad, but fixture congestion makes them vulnerable. Betting against them in the league soon might pay off.
• Oliver Glasner is unlikely to sign a new contract. Expect him to be a hot name in the summer managerial carousel.
• Arsenal, Liverpool, and Everton all look like strong favorites this weekend, with tidy under or clean sheet bets in play.
• Tottenham vs. Palace screams goals. Over 2.5 is the best value.
• Chelsea vs. Villa could go either way, but both teams to score is the safest route.
• Manchester United and Newcastle aren’t trustworthy — fade them where possible.

So grab your betting slip, avoid the traps, and remember: in the world of football and folklore, it’s usually the one who underestimates the worm that gets eaten first.