Adam Wharton could hardly have picked a more difficult Premier League debut at the start of February. With Crystal Palace trailing 1-0 against their arch-rivals Brighton, a knee injury to the captain, Marc Guéhi, forced Roy Hodgson to throw in the 19-year-old, who had signed 48 hours earlier from Blackburn.
Brighton doubled their lead within five minutes and seven seconds after Palace kicked off again a moment arrived that must have been replayed in Wharton's mind countless times. Receiving the ball midway in his own half, he attempted to pass to Tyrick Mitchell but was surprised by Pascal Gross and lost possession.
Wharton pounded the turf in frustration after a late lunge to try to prevent Facundo Buonanotte from curling past Dean Henderson.
That made it 3-0 and Brighton went on to record their biggest win against Palace since January 1956.
What a difference a few months make. Wharton is one of four Palace players in Gareth Southgate's 33-man provisional England squad for Euro 2024, and the midfielder - who turned 20 four days after the 4-1 defeat by Brighton - has become the heartbeat of a team transformed by the new manager, Oliver Glasner.
This story is from the May 22, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the May 22, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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