Crystal Palace goalkeeper Henderson hails ‘different class’ Glasner after FA Cup triumph | OneFootball

Crystal Palace’s FA Cup hero Dean Henderson lauded his “phenomenal” manager Oliver Glasner after playing a crucial role in his side’s FA Cup victory.

Henderson saved a first-half penalty from Omar Marmoush as Ebere Eze’s goal secured Palace victory over Manchester City at Wembley, handing the club their first ever major trophy.

And the former Manchester United goalkeeper praised the way Glasner has managed the Palace squad after what was a difficult start to the season.

“I’ve had managers but this guy is different class,” Henderson said.

“When we were struggling at the start of the season he was quite easy on us, to be fair, but the better we actually do, the harder he is on us.

“He was hard on us this week, demanding of us because we’ve been in good form. He knows how to treat us and he’s phenomenal.”

Glasner spoke after the game about his feeling that Palace could do “something special” this season, something Henderson says the Austrian has been telling the players.

“He’s been on about it since Marbella, when we went on a mid-season camp and he said we had the opportunity to achieve big things this season,” he said.

“We’ve done that obviously and he’s so proud of every single one of us.”

Reflecting on his own journey, Henderson said winning the FA Cup is the culmination of years of work.

“It’s not two years’ work personally,” he said. “It’s 24 years when you start kicking a ball around at four-years-old and there’s so many setbacks, so many disappointments and you keep going, you keep coming back and to get the job done, it’s incredible as an Englishman, knowing what the FA Cup means, it’s phenomenal.

“To do it with Crystal Palace is even better. It’s so difficult to win even if you’re a top side and for us to do it as Crystal Palace is phenomenal.”