Manager is stressing the need for patience after a rocky start to the season where signs of progress have been hard to find

Perhaps it’s down to bitter experience but pessimism has always been in the nature of Crystal Palace supporters. Even at the end of May when Eberechi Eze scored the fifth goal past an Aston Villa side on the beach having secured Champions League qualification a few days earlier, some were already fearing the worst.

Inspired by a thrilling forward line of Eze, Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta, Palace rounded off last season by winning six of their final seven Premier League games to match their highest-ever points tally (49) and finish (10th). But after a summer of change at Selhurst Park in which Olise departed for Bayern Munich and the manager, Oliver Glasner, was also courted by the German giants following his brilliant start at the club, many worry an autumn of discontent has arrived.