Christantus Uche’s debut ended in a draw as Crystal Palace were held to a stalemate by newly promoted side Sunderland.
Uche came on in the 84th minute, though it remains unclear why Palace boss Oliver Glasner introduced him so late.
The Super Eagles star showed flashes of his quality, registering as many shots on target as the entire team had in the previous 84 minutes.
He recorded two touches in the opposition box, one pass into the final third, and completed 71% of his passes.
The 22-year-old also contributed defensively, winning 100% of his ground duels and making one ball recovery.
Glasner praised Uche’s impact during his post-match press conference. He said:
“It was the same with Uche at the end — I thought he could help us by adding a bit more physicality to our attack. He was great; he had a big chance as well. I think we could have gotten a penalty in that situation.”
After the match, Uche shared his thoughts with reporters:
“The game was good, but not the result we wanted. We tried and put in all the work, but it didn’t work out. Nevertheless, we keep working every day to get it right.”
He also revealed the words of encouragement Glasner gave him before he came on:
“He told me, ‘Go there and make it right.’ I see him as a great coach — someone who believes in me — so I had to go in and give my best.”
When asked how he managed to make an impact so late in the game, Uche replied:
“I believe in myself so much. Once I’m on the field, I’ll do something that will surprise everyone. It doesn’t matter what wing you put me on — I’ll play.”
The Nigerian international concluded by speaking on the fans’ influence:
“That’s what motivated me more. For me, I play with the fans — I play with everybody. Once the fans trust me, I’ll give everything — 100 percent.”
Uche’s performance against Sunderland has likely put him in contention to start Crystal Palace’s Carabao Cup midweek clash against Millwall.
