In lead up to the Chelsea game and ever since, all the talk has been around the future of our star players. Much of what we have seen and heard has not proved to be quite true.
A share of the spoils at Stamford Bridge on Sunday was a solid start to the season, and heading into our very first European fixture, Oliver Glasner has confirmed in his press conference that Marc Guehi and Ebere Eze will both start the game against the visiting Fredrikstad.
Whether we will see one, or both, leave the club after the weekend is out remains to be seen. However, perhaps there is a cunning plan here particularly in the case of Eze that he helps the Eagles build a significant first leg lead to get one foot into the league stage of the Conference League before any move if ratified.
More than anything, if the departure of Eze does become a reality, then it will be a welcome opportunity for us to bid a fond farewell to a player who entertained us so often in a Palace shirt.
Now is the time to forget about all that has gone on and for the players to go and do a job to get into the Conference League proper by seeing off the Norwegians over the two legs.
They travel to Selhurst Park for the game not in the greatest of form while in contrast, the Eagles are on a roll currently. It is not a two-legged affair that Palace should even be in, but Glasner and his players are completely focused on doing what needs to be done to be in that draw next Friday (29 August).
There is no doubting that Glasner will be fielding his strongest side against the Norwegians with the sole aim of taking total control heading to Scandinavia. Other than the long term absentees, the only injury concern for the Austrian is Japanese international Daichi Kamada who continues to suffer from the injury he picked up in the Community Shield.
It is disappointing to see that the ticket sales for the game have not gone quite as well as expected, but you have to consider the level of the opposition. Palace are expected to progress from this play off and be one of the teams to watch in the league phase, but there are two lots of ninety minutes to get through against a side that are relatively unknown.
Safe journey to all those making the trip to Selhurst from Scandinavia, we are looking to getting the European campaign underway and seeing exactly where it can take us.
Match Details
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Competition: Europa Conference League play-off (first leg).
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Fixture: Crystal Palace v Fredrikstad – Thursday, 21 August 2025, 8pm at Selhurst Park.
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Significance: Winner over two legs progresses to the group stage. This marks the first-ever clash between the two clubs.
News & Team Strategy
Transfer Drama: Eberechi Eze
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Tottenham Hotspur have opened talks with Palace over a potential £60 million deal for Eberechi Eze. However, manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Eze will feature in this game.
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Glasner dismissed any suggestion that Eze’s post-match gestures against Chelsea were farewell messages.
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Prediction: Eze is expected to start, though uncertainty looms over his future beyond the transfer window.
Broader Team Momentum
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Palace enter the tie on a 10-game unbeaten run across competitions, with recent draws against big names like Chelsea, and strong domestic form.
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Fredrikstad arrive after a difficult spell: eliminated from Europa League qualifying by Midtjylland (5–1 aggregate) and with just one win in their last 14 matches.
Predicted Line-ups
Crystal Palace (expected starting XI):
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Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
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Defenders: Tyrick Mitchell, Marc Guéhi, Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards, Daniel Munoz
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Midfield: Will Hughes, Adam Wharton
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Attack: Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaïla Sarr
Fredrikstad (expected starting XI):
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Goalkeeper: Martin Børsheim
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Defenders: Maxwell Woledzi, Ulrik Fredriksen, Solomon Owusu
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Midfield: Stian Stray Molde, Patrick Metcalfe, Leonard Owusu, Oskar Skovbjerg Øhlenschlæger, Simen Rafn
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Attackers: Henrik Skogvold, Jóannes Bjartalíð
Tactical Outlook & Predictions
| Feature | Palace | Fredrikstad |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Undefeated in 10 games, including strong draws against top opponents | One win in last 14; eliminated from Europa League qualifiers |
| Home/Away Dynamics | Confident at home; attacking options in Eze, Sarr, Mateta | Weak away record; scoring struggles; injury concerns |
| Matchflows/Goals | Mixed – some recent games over 2.5 goals | Often low-scoring away; defensive vulnerabilities |
Final Take
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Starting XI Snapshot: Eze, Sarr, and Mateta will likely lead the attack; Guéhi, Lacroix, and Richards form a strong backline; Muñoz, and Mitchell provide width. Fredrikstad go with their standard setup, lacking key striker Birksø due to injury.
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Prediction: Palace are strong favourites. A convincing victory is a likely outcome.
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Key Dynamics: Palace’s stability and experience against Fredrikstad’s inconsistency make for a controlled home performance. If Eze starts, expect fluid attacking patterns. Fredrikstad likely contend for damage limitation.
