Oliver Glasner’s response goes viral after hearing Eddie Howe said referee was on Palace side for awarding late penalty

Glasner Dismisses Howe’s Referee Bias Claim After Palace’s Dramatic Late Penalty Victory

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has firmly rejected Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe’s suggestion that the referee favoured the home side in Sunday’s Premier League clash at Selhurst Park, where Jean-Philippe Mateta’s stoppage-time penalty secured a 2-1 win for the Eagles.

The match saw Newcastle take a surprise lead against the run of play in the 43rd minute when William Osula pounced on a deflection off Maxence Lacroix to slot home from Lewis Miley’s pass. Palace, who had prioritised their midweek Conference League quarter-final against Fiorentina, struggled to find rhythm early on but grew into the game. Mateta, returning to the starting lineup, levelled with a powerful 80th-minute header before the decisive moment arrived in the 91st minute.

Referee Andy Madley pointed to the spot after Sven Botman tugged the shirt of Jefferson Lerma during a long throw-in from Chris Richards. Mateta coolly converted the penalty in the 94th minute, sending it low into the corner past Martin Dúbravka. The winner piled further pressure on Howe, whose side saw their European hopes fade further as they dropped points in a game many expected them to dominate.

Post-match, Howe expressed frustration over the timing and award of the penalty, reportedly claiming the officials appeared “on Palace’s side” in a match that extended into five minutes of added time. Glasner, speaking after the game, was quick to push back. “I respect Eddie – he’s a top manager and his teams always compete with huge intensity,” Glasner said. “But this was a clear foul. Botman pulled the shirt; you see it in real time and on the replay. Referees have a difficult job, and decisions go both ways in every game. We earned the right to those late moments through our persistence and the way we pressed in the second half.”

Glasner praised his players’ character, noting Mateta’s brace – his first league goals since New Year’s Day – as a timely boost ahead of their European return leg. The result leaves Palace in a solid mid-table position while Newcastle remain five points off the European places with games running out.

The Austrian coach added: “We didn’t deserve to lose today, and neither did they. But football is about moments, and we took ours. No bias – just a penalty.”