Crystal Palace left-back Jeffrey Schlupp has shed light on his unusual centre-back role as they succumbed to a 5-0 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.
The Ghanaian started the game as part of a three-back system, and although the formation was later changed to a four-man defence, which saw Schlupp move to centre-back, the Eagles were unable to hold their own at the Etihad Stadium.
“I have played in a back three before but at the end of the day it is a team game and when you are not at it, at places like this, you end up getting the result we did [on Saturday],” Schlupp told his club’s official website.
“When results like this happen, you have to put it behind you and work in the week ahead, preparing for the match against Hull City, which is our next massive game.”
David Silva opened the scoring in the second minute before Vincent Kompany, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Otamendi added four more goals after recess.
“Everyone knows that Man City are a top side and they needed the points just as much as we did but when you come here and play as open as we did, you get punished,” Schlupp said.
“The early goal at the beginning almost killed us but we worked our way back into the game in the first half, so that’s why it was so disappointing to go out in the second half and concede goals like we did after how hard we had worked in the opening period.”
The result leaves Palace two places above the Premier League relegation zone with two matches to go.
Schlupp, a utility player who joined the side in January, has made 13 league appearances involving nine starts so far.
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