There were unforgettable scenes as Crystal Palace made history at Wembley on Saturday… but not every player was able to join in the jubilant on-pitch celebrations.
While Eberechi Eze danced in front of delirious fans and Dean Henderson was mobbed by team-mates after his penalty heroics, another of the Eagles’ key performers was ushered away for precautionary medical checks following the final whistle.
Having shaken off a recent injury scare to start the biggest game of his career, he was struck in the head by a thunderous Kevin De Bruyne shot late on and had to be assessed for concussion.
That player was Adam Wharton – the 21-year-old midfield maestro whose January 2024 move from Blackburn Rovers has proven to be one of the smartest signings in recent Premier League memory.
Though recruited with an eye on the future, Wharton has quickly become a central figure in Oliver Glasner’s side.
His Wembley appearance was nearly scuppered by injury though. Wharton twisted his ankle during the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest earlier this month when he was forced off just after the hour mark.
Crystal Palace won the FA Cup on Saturday after beating Man City 1-0 in the final at Wembley
Midfielder Adam Wharton was unable to take part in the post-game celebrations on the field
Wharton missed the trophy lift because he was undergoing concussion checks after being struck on the head by a powerful shot from City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne late in the game
He missed last weekend’s Premier League win at Tottenham but was passed fit for Wembley after coming through a full week of training.
‘It’s positive team news,’ Glasner said on the eve of the final. ‘Adam trained the whole week and is available.’
Palace’s decision to start him was fully justified. Wharton delivered 87 minutes of composed, intelligent midfield play before making way for Will Hughes.
But his afternoon ended on a worrying note after De Bruyne’s venomous strike crashed into his head. Though he walked off unassisted and appeared in good spirits, Palace’s medical team took no risks and sent him for concussion checks, ruling him out of the immediate post-match celebrations.
However, the midfielder was able to post on Instagram later on Saturday, and even poked fun at himself after missing out on enjoying some special moments with his team-mates.
Alongside a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed, Wharton wrote: ‘Apparently we won the FA Cup! EAGLESSSSSSSSSS.’
Wharton’s importance to this Palace team cannot be overstated. He has started nine of their last 10 matches, including the 3-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Aston Villa, where his interception from Youri Tielemans led to the second goal.
Palace will be desperate to keep hold of their star midfielder as they prepare for a Europa League campaign next season. But with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool among the clubs said to be tracking him, that could be easier said than done.
