Jean-Philippe Mateta’s half-time substitution against Dynamo Kiev was pre-planned with no new injury concerns over the Crystal Palace striker.

Palace got their Europa Conference League campaign off to a perfect start with a 2-0 win over the Ukrainian giants in Lublin on Thursday night, extending a record run of 19 games undefeated.

Daniel Munoz opened the scoring after 31 minutes with Eddie Nketiah, fresh from his dramatic late winner against Liverpool on Saturday, doubling their lead just before the hour mark.

Nketiah came on as a half-time substitute to replace Mateta.

Mateta has been ever-present in the Palace starting XI this season, playing the full 90 minutes in four of their six Premier League games, coming off late on in the remaining two.

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The French striker also played the full games against Millwall in the Carabao Cup and Europa qualifiers against Fredrikstad back in August.

Glasner recently warned his star striker was feeling the effects of a busy start to the season, admitting he ‘needs a break’ as Palace’s season picks up pace.

And the German coach explained last night the decision to replace him midway through the game was made with one eye firmly on this weekend’s clash with Everton, having also been able to manage the minutes of Ismaili Sarr and new signing Yeremy Pino.

‘I’m proud that we could start the Conference League away against a very good opponent,’ Glasner said in his post-match press conference.

‘I don’t think about this [unbeaten] run, because it has already happened, so for me it is important what comes next, and next comes Everton, and their new stadium.

‘We are really looking forward to this game, a great atmosphere, a great stadium, they are in very good shape.

‘We could do everything today we planned to do: it was planned to play JP [Mateta] one half and Eddie Nketiah one half, it was planned to play Daichi [Kamada] and Yeremy about 60 minutes, and play Justin [Deveny] and Isma [Sarr] about 30, that everybody stays in shape, stays in rhythm.

‘It was not planned, but I think he deserved it: it was the debut of Rio Cardines today, a young player who deserved it.

‘The players know I don’t give gifts. Minutes are not gifts, you have to deserve it, and he deserved it, so today was the right moment.

‘A very positive day for us.’