Mateta has ´moved on´ after Crystal Palace refused to sell

Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta has no issues with the club’s refusal to sell him this past transfer window.

Mateta had a strong second half of the season at Palace, and was a key performer for Oliver Glasner.

The striker subsequently helped France win gold at the Paris Olympics.

Mateta was, however, open to leaving Palace over the summer, though with the club having rejected interest, the 27-year-old is happy to put thoughts on his future to one side.

In an interview with L’Equipe, he said: “I’m a realistic person: the club didn’t want to sell me.

“Well, I’m moving on and I’m doing everything so that the team obtains better results than last year. And when it’s time to ask ourselves these kinds of questions [about the future], we will ask ourselves.

“In football, you have to adapt quickly, concentrate on the upcoming deadlines and not dwell on the past.”

Palace face Leicester City on Saturday, and while the Eagles have only picked up one point from their three Premier League matches so far, Mateta has full confidence Glasner’s team are worthy opponents for any team.

He said: “The coach sees, as [France Olympics coach Thierry] Henry did, that I’m trying to pull everyone up, because I work hard, I encourage everyone to do the same and I constantly repeat that we can beat anyone: City, Liverpool… anyone! Anyone!

“I only had a few days of rest between the Olympics final and the resumption of the Premier League, and Glasner asks us to chase the opposing teams high, it’s very different from the game we played with France at the Olympics, because we had the ball.”

The new lads in action

Watch CCTV #CPFC

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 10, 2024

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta

Mateta has made more targeted runs into the box than any other player in the Premier League so far this season (14). However, he is yet to open his account for 2024-25.

Leicester City – Abdul Fatawu

Only Bruno Guimaraes (16) has won more fouls in the Premier League this season than Leicester’s Abdul Fatawu (10), seven of which have been following an attempted take-on, more than any other player.

MATCH PREDICTION: CRYSTAL PALACE WIN

Leicester have won just two of their last 16 Premier League games in London (D3 L11), conceding 40 goals during that run (2.5 per game).

The Foxes have only opened the scoring in two of their last 24 Premier League games, conceding first in all three so far this season. Only in 1994-95 and 2001-02 have they conceded the first goal in each of their first four games in a Premier League season, being relegated in both of those campaigns.

Palace have won nine Premier League games against Leicester – against no side have they beaten more times in the competition.

Leicester lost 2-1 the last time they faced Crystal Palace in the Premier League (April 2023), having been unbeaten in their previous seven against the Eagles beforehand (W4 D3).

Since drawing consecutive home games 0-0 in September/October last season, Palace’s last 16 at Selhurst Park in the Premier League have seen 59 goals scored (F34 A25, 3.7 per game). Only Chelsea (63) and Manchester City’s (60) home games have seen more goals in the competition since the first game in that run.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace – 56.6%

Leicester City – 21%

Draw – 22.4%