Oliver Glasner confirms Matt Turner will start Crystal Palace's FA Cup clash with Millwall | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest loanee accepts role behind Dean Henderson in the Premier League

Matt Turner will start for Crystal Palace against Millwall on Saturday and accepted when he joined the club that Dean Henderson was the club’s long-term No1, Oliver Glasner has revealed.

The Eagles will reach the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2021/22.

United States international Turner, 30, joined Palace last summer on loan from Nottingham Forest, where he had previously been the club’s No1, after Sam Johnstone left Selhurst Park to provide competition for Jose Sa at Wolves.

Turner’s only appearances for Palace since signing for the club have come in the Carabao Cup against Aston Villa and in both of the previous rounds of the FA Cup, in victories over Stockport County and Doncaster Rovers.

“Matt was in the goal both games, and he will be starting tomorrow,” Glasner said. “But that’s the same. It’s not a gift. He’s just deserving.

“I can see his ambition in training. He’s always giving 100 per cent in every single training [session]. He also deserves some games, and that’s why he will play tomorrow.”

On whether he is content to be Henderson’s back-up in goal, Glasner said: “He knew it when he arrived. We were always pretty clear. He always knew that Dean is the No1 because he is doing an amazing job for us.

“That doesn’t mean he [Turner] is [second-choice] for the rest of his life, but of course I will never change a goalkeeper if he makes one or two mistakes because they need this confidence. They are so exposed.

“It’s the same with a striker. If he misses one or two chances, you can’t say: ‘Now, you won’t play’. If he never gets chances, okay, you can think about it. But these players need confidence, need trust. I don’t like to change.

“We have two great goalkeepers — two international goalkeepers — and also Remi [Matthews] as the third one, who is really hard-working in every single training [session]. They deserve to play games, and that’s why it is Matt’s time tomorrow.”

After Palace face Millwall, they then host Ipswich in the Premier League next Saturday. They then have a prolonged break and will be travelling to Marbella for five days’ warm-weather training.

Asked whether he will pick a strong team or make a host of changes against Millwall, Glasner asked: “Why should our players need to rest?

“We don’t play international football, so we’ve had 27 games in the Premier League. We had four in the EFL Cup. 31. And two [in the FA Cup]. That’s 33. That’s not a problem.

“We could have maximum 49 games if we reach the final. I had 49 games with Frankfurt in every single season, I’m not really worried. If you talk about 60 or 65, okay, it’ll be tough, but 49 isn’t really a problem.”