“Crystal Palace deserved this win. They were far better in the first half and could have been three or four goals ahead. We took control in the second half, had some really good clear-cut chances but failed to capitalize on them. We equalized the score and should have taken at least a point, but Crystal Palace’s second set-piece goal secured their victory.
“They executed their game plan exceptionally well. Whether it was their runs in behind or transition moments, breaking down their low block was no easy task. They were extremely disciplined. If we look at the positives, we created plenty of opportunities, while Crystal Palace barely allowed their opponents any chance to threaten. On the flip side, we conceded too many opportunities even though the opposition had limited possession.
On conceding set-piece goals
“Set-piece goals are crucial across all leagues, and they’re becoming increasingly important in every competition. When I watch Premier League games, I see long throw-ins time and time again.
“Defending set-pieces was a strength of ours last season, but we need to prove that it’s still our strength soon—because if you concede two set-piece goals in a single game, it’s going to be very hard to win.
“Our first-half performance wasn’t up to our standards; we should have played much better. Credit where credit’s due to Crystal Palace—they’ve gone 17 games unbeaten now. We’ve faced them four times so far: one win, one loss, and two draws. So every time we play against each other, it’s a very tight contest.
On Isak’s performance
“The intensity was a bit lower against their low block, which is why he got a bit more game time. He came close to scoring—that’s exactly the kind of thing he does. He was so close to netting a goal; he took a small nudge but stayed on his feet, and his shot just drifted wide of the post.”
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