Crystal Palace ended their three-match winless run in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Brentford, with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s opener and Nathan Collins’ own goal proving the difference makers.
The France international netted his sixth goal of the campaign on Saturday and has been the focal point of Palace’s attack under Oliver Glasner following Eberechi Eze’s summer move to Arsenal.
With Eddie Nketiah serving as Mateta’s deputy and also providing a spark off the bench, netting three goals in just 227 minutes across all competitions, Palace’s summer signing of Christantus Uche now raises a few eyebrows.
The 22-year-old forward has played just eight minutes of Premier League football since joining and was left on the bench for the win over Brentford, staying an unused substitute for the third time this campaign.
Christantus Uche Struggling for Minutes at Palace
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Uche joined Crystal Palace from La Liga side Getafe on transfer deadline day, arriving at Selhurst Park with the expectation of continuing his steady development under Glasner.
During the 2024/25 season, the 22-year-old forward showed plenty of promise in Spain, netting four goals and providing six assists in 33 appearances for Getafe, including four goal contributions in his final six games of the campaign.
However, two months on, Uche appears to be on the fringes of the squad and must remain patient for any regular minutes at Selhurst Park.
The Nigeria international has yet to start a game for Palace since joining, with most of his minutes coming in the Carabao Cup, where he was brought off the bench in victories over Millwall and Liverpool.
If his limited involvement under Glasner continues, the £17m deal Palace struck with Getafe could increasingly look like a mistake, both from the club and the player’s point of view.
Uche arrived at Selhurst Park on loan for the 2025/26 campaign, but Palace are obliged to make the deal permanent next summer and pay the £17m fee to the Spanish club.
Uche is not the only Palace summer arrival struggling for regular minutes at the start of the season, with defenders Borna Sosa and Jaydee Canvot both featuring just once in the Premier League so far.
Palace next face back-to-back home games, hosting AZ Alkmaar in the Conference League on Thursday and Brighton on Sunday, November 9.