The reason behind Crystal Palace youngster Romain Esse’s emotional reaction after the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield has surfaced, following footage that showed Mohamed Salah comforting him. The 20-year-old, who joined Palace in January, was part of the squad that won the FA Cup against Manchester City and was on the bench at Wembley, though he didn’t feature in the match.
Esse has made just seven Premier League appearances so far, scoring on his debut against Brentford. His only start came in the final game of the season against Wolves. At Anfield, he played briefly, but the focus quickly turned to his tearful reaction after the final whistle. New information has now shed light on what may have triggered it.
Esse Seen in Tears Post-Match
Footage shared on social media showed Esse in conversation with Mohamed Salah and later with Palace’s departing captain Joel Ward, who is set to leave the club after over ten years.
Reports suggest that Esse’s tears were a result of criticism from manager Oliver Glasner over his performance during the short time he was on the pitch. He entered the game in the 79th minute but was substituted again in stoppage time for Matheus Franca.
While Glasner didn’t directly explain his decision to substitute Esse so quickly, he told The Athletic that the player understood the reason. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s display overall, saying:
“He knows why, that’s enough,” Glasner said. “I wasn’t happy with our performance. Not in general, but some players didn’t give 100% to the team or play the way we expect. That’s why we only got a draw. We had plenty of chances to win, but we lacked the necessary determination — just like at the start of the season when we failed to win in our first eight games.”