Crystal Palace caretaker boss Paddy McCarthy has full religion in 19-year-old goalkeeper Joe Whitworth ought to the previous Eagles ball boy be required to make simply his second Premier League look in opposition to title-chasing Arsenal on Sunday.
Former Palace captain and under-21s supervisor McCarthy was appointed to take cost in opposition to the Gunners instead of Patrick Vieira, whose sacking was introduced on Friday morning forward of the journey to his former membership.
Whitworth was an emergency call-up forward of Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Brighton, the place the Palace academy graduate’s efficiency was a welcome vivid spot in what turned out to be Vieira’s final sport in cost.
“I thought he was excellent,” McCarthy advised the membership’s official web site.
“Not surprisingly, he’s such a great kid with bags of confidence, bags of quality as well. He is an England (youth) international, he’s played in big games throughout the course of his young career, and there’s none bigger than Palace against Brighton away from home.
“He showed everybody what he was capable of so we were delighted with his performance, and delighted that he is another academy product playing in our first team.”
Whitworth, on the age of 19 years and 15 days previous, grew to become Palace’s youngest-ever Premier League keeper when he stepped in for first selection Vicente Guaita, who picked up a hamstring harm in coaching forward of the Brighton journey.
With Sam Johnstone nonetheless nursing a calf harm and Jack Butland and Remi Matthews on mortgage at Manchester United and St Johnstone respectively, all eyes turned to Whitworth, who had warmed the first-team bench 10 instances earlier than his first begin.
Guaita and Johnstone’s health stays unknown forward of the Arsenal encounter, however ought to Whitworth discover himself again in action- and below two totally different bosses in his first two league video games – he’ll doubtless be grateful to seek out McCarthy’s acquainted face within the dugout.
McCarthy mentioned: “The pathway has always been there: Tyrick (Mitchell), Clyney (Nathaniel Clyne), Wilfried (Zaha), and then Joe the other night against Brighton.
“It just shows that the pathway is there for these young lads. Also, Joe will give the rest of the boys across the road (at Copers Cope training ground) the confidence that they can go and perform on this stage.”
