There were unforgettable scenes when Crystal Palace wrote history at Wembley on Saturday … but not every player could participate in the jubilant celebrations on the pitch.
While Ebereechi Eze danced for Delirious fans and Dean Henderson was harassed by teammates after his penalty heroic deeds, another of the most important artists of the Eagles for precautions after the last whistle signal.
After he had shaked a recent injury to start the biggest game of his career, he was hit by a thunderous Kevin De Bruyne that was shot late and had to be assessed on concussion.
That player was Adam Wharton-de 21-year-old Midfield Maestro whose January 2024 from Blackburn Rovers has proven one to be the smartest signing sessions in the recent Premier League memory.
Although recruited with a view to the future, Wharton quickly became a central figure in the side of Oliver Glasner.
His Wembley, however, was almost due to injury. Wharton played his ankle during the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest earlier this month when he was enforced just after the hour.
He missed the Premier League victory last weekend in Tottenham, but was fit for Wembley after a full week of training.
“It's positive team news,” said Glasner on the eve of the final. “Adam trained and is available all week.”
The decision of Palace to start him was completely justified. Wharton delivered together for 87 minutes, intelligent midfield game before he made way for Will Hughes.
But his afternoon ended in a worrying note after De Bruyne's toxic strike collapsed in his head. Although he walked without help and appeared in a good mood, the medical team of Palace did not take any risks and sent him for concussion controls, so that he was eradicated from the immediate post-match parties.
The importance of Wharton for this palace team cannot be overestimated. He started with nine of their last 10 games, including the 3-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Aston Villa, where his interception of Youri Tielemans led to the second goal.
Palace will be desperate to hold their Star midfielder while preparing for a Europa League campaign next season. But with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool among the clubs that would follow him, that could be easier said than done.