Mark Langdon: Oliver Glasner a step in right direction for Crystal Palace

There were two huge Premier League games played in midweek and it was totally unsatisfactory as a subscriber to Sky Sports and TNT Sports that I was unable to watch Manchester City's narrow triumph over Brentford or Liverpool's come from behind success over Luton.

Uefa don't allow domestic top-flight matches to be broadcast in their host country at the same time as their beloved Champions League, but the reason City and Liverpool played in midweek, in any case, was because neither fixture was originally selected for television meaning they were unable to be shown live.

All of which is utter nonsense. 

City against Brentford and Liverpool versus Luton were originally scheduled for 3pm on a Saturday when there was a choice of ten games to select from for live TV coverage – but broadcasters should have more flexibility when it comes to rearranged matches. 

That is before we even get on to the controversial 3pm Saturday blackout in the UK. The ban is said to protect lower-league clubs but it unduly punishes Premier League fans from watching their team via legal means and feels unworkable in the modern age.

At least the new TV deal, which takes effect in 2025-26, will mean all games outside of the blackout except those clashing with Uefa dates can be broadcast live, however it does not solve the problem entirely. 

If you are supporter of a Premier League club then only a lucky few are now able to get tickets for away matches, and in 2024 it seems wholly unreasonable that the primary way to follow the progress of your team is to rely on updates from Paul Merson in the Soccer Saturday studio.

Esteemed colleague Lee Mottershead has been writing this week about the growing concerns regarding gambling's issues on the black market and it's even more rife in TV. I feel like one of the few still paying to watch football legitimately – I think we go by the title 'mug' on the streets – and you don't have to go far to find evidence of the rules being flouted. My local kebab shop was showing events from Anfield on Wednesday while a friend said they watched on from a snooker club.

The growing army of illegal streamers will have a choice of 3pm kick-offs to choose from on Saturday, although it's fair to say Crystal Palace's home date with Burnley might not be the go-to match on an afternoon when Aston Villa, Brighton and Manchester United are all in action.

Palace have been a hard watch for a long time. 

This is their 11th consecutive season in the Premier League and they have become mid-table mainstays – always finishing between tenth and 15th – which in the Selhurst boardroom is probably seen as success even if no club has been shown last on Match of the Day more frequently in the past decade.

Look at the list of Palace managers: Roy Hodgson twice, Patrick Vieira, Frank de Boer (briefly), Sam Allardyce, Alan Pardew, Neil Warnock, Tony Pulis ... I could go on but it's depressing even typing it out and at least new boss Oliver Glasner shows a desire to try to get with the times.

Glasner has the makings of a decent team when everyone is fit with Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in the Palace ranks. 

They are capable of more attractive football than has previously been served up and Austrian gaffer Glasner brings with him greater adventure than his Palace predecessors. 

His approach was rarely dull at LASK Linz, Wolfsburg or Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the Europa League as well as qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages, but there needs to be patience because Palace's players have been on the back foot for so long.

Popping into the kebab house for a doner meat and chips is the easy bit on Saturday. Getting them to put Palace on is another matter entirely, but if Glasner is given time the Eagles might be an easier sell in the future. 

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