Chris Richards stated that Crystal Palace put in a good performance away from home against Arsenal. Despite a busy schedule, the team maintained a positive attitude. Facing the Premier League leaders, who were aiming for a seventh consecutive victory in all competitions, Crystal Palace displayed tenacious defense and organizational skills in the first half, but former player Eberechi Eze broke the deadlock for the home team just before halftime.  

Crystal Palace pressed relentlessly in the final stages of the match, creating numerous chances that threatened Arsenal's goal, but ultimately fell short. Despite the disappointing result, Chris Richards and his teammates sought to find positives. The defender stated, "We played against a team that's at the top of the Premier League and one of the strongest teams in Europe, and we performed exceptionally well in this match."  

"We are indeed disappointed with the result of this game, but it just reflects the great progress the team has made in the past year. We set a high standard for ourselves and everyone knows that. When we walked into the locker room, there was a sense of unfinished business. This shows how strong our desire to win is and shows our confidence and expectations for the future."  

“We managed to limit the performance of one of Europe’s top teams, allowing them only one or two truly dangerous chances. Playing at the Emirates Stadium is always difficult, especially when they are in such good form. We also created a lot of chances and worked hard on the defensive end. Although their goal was a bit lucky, overall, there is a lot we can learn from today.”  

Talking about Eberechi Eze's goal, Chris Richards said: "I have seen this kind of goal many times in training and games, but at that time he was still playing for us. Although he was standing opposite me today, I certainly didn't want him to score. But I have to say that I am still sincerely happy for him."  

Crystal Palace's busy schedule continues, and they will travel to Anfield this week to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. Chris Richards said: "I think it will be a similar game to today. Everyone knows the strength of Liverpool. There is a reason why they can win the Premier League."  

“We have to continue with the intensity and focus we showed in this game. I think every time we play against Liverpool we can always create one or two better chances so we have to take advantage of those big moments.”