It has been quite a start to the season for Palace on a number of levels, and as we come out of the first international break of the campaign, the club embarks on a run of six fixtures across three different competitions.
We kick off with Sunderland at Selhurst Park this weekend, ahead of hosting Millwall in the cup, Premier League games with West Ham and Liverpool, a trip to Poland for the first Conference League game before returning to take on Bournemouth and Everton.
It could prove to be a pivotal month for the club, but the same could be said for November and December. The league games are ones where points can be attained on current form, adding to our already unbeaten tally, but injuries will likely have an effect with Adam Wharton, and Ismaila Sarr missing for an extended period.
A real positive of the transfer window is having retained the services of captain Marc Guehi, who after all the drama of transfer deadline day and fresh from scoring that cracker at Villa Park, he returns to South London after playing his part in two clean sheets for England and scoring his very first goal for his country.
It remains to be seen how Guehi deals with all the press attention that he has received, but if his period of international duty is to go by, we may well see an even better player for the rest of this season before we bid a fond farewell to him next summer.
Hopefully, we can all put that behind us, as the start to the season has been very positive under the guidance of Oliver Glasner, but there is plenty more work to be done.
The majority of us will have nightmares still after the last time Sunderland made the trip to South London. If for some unknown reason you had forgotten, the Black Cats were 4-0 up at half-time and the players were booed and jeered off the pitch, while Damien Delaney was confronted on the pitch by a fan.
Time has not been kind on the visitors since, as the Netflix series ‘Sunderland ‘Till I Die‘ has shown us, but they have impressively fought their way back to the top table and travel to Selhurst Park for the first time in over eight years.
Sunderland currently sit sixth in the Premier League having won two games and lost one in what has been a positive return to the Premier League. It is worth noting however that their one league loss was away from their Stadium of Light home.
Meanwhile, Glasner will be keen to have his squad back together to work with over the coming weeks so as to integrate new additions Yeremy Pino, Christantus Uche, and Jaydee Canvot for this intriguing run of games which will take us through to mid-October.
The Austrian will have some decisions to make with Wharton and Sarr missing for at least this game with Sunderland, as well as Millwall and possibly West Ham. He has not delved into his squad much so far this season, but is going to have to with injuries starting to bite sooner than expected.
Here’s hoping that those on international duty all return fighting fit and raring to get back to domestic football.
🦅 Crystal Palace Preview
- Form: Unbeaten in their last 10 matches across all competitions.
- Recent Results: A commanding 3-0 win over Aston Villa, draws against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, and a win over Fredrikstad in the Europa Conference League playoffs.
- Key Players:
- Jean-Philippe Mateta – 2 goals in last 5 games.
- Daichi Kamada – Creative force in midfield.
- Marc Guéhi – Anchoring a solid backline.
- Tactics: Manager Oliver Glasner favours a 4-2-3-1 setup with quick transitions and disciplined defending.
- Injuries: Adam Wharton is sidelined with an adductor issue, while Ismaila Sarr struggles with a hamstring strain.
🐱 Sunderland Preview
- Form: Mixed but promising start to life back in the top flight. Wins over West Ham and Brentford, but a loss to Burnley.
- Key Players:
- Wilson Isidor – 2 goals recently, emerging as a key threat.
- Granit Xhaka – Adds steel and experience to midfield.
- Chemsdine Talbi & Eliezer Mayenda – Provide pace and unpredictability.
- Tactics: Manager Régis Le Bris employs a possession-based 4-2-3-1, averaging 50% ball control and 1.7 goals per game.
- Injuries: Daniel Ballard is out with a groin issue; Nordi Mukiele expected to deputize.
🔍 Head-to-Head & Statistics
- Crystal Palace:
- Goals Scored: 1.7/match
- Goals Conceded: 0.4/match
- Win Rate: 79.96%
- Sunderland:
- Goals Scored: 0.7/match
- Goals Conceded: 1.4/match
- Win Rate: 32.48%
🧠 Tactical Battle
Expect a midfield duel with both sides using similar formations. Palace’s full-backs pushing forward and their compact shape could exploit Sunderland’s defensive gaps, especially in Ballard’s absence. Sunderland’s midfield trio (Xhaka, Diarra, Sadiki) may dominate possession but could struggle to break down Palace’s disciplined block.
🔮 Prediction
- Likely Outcome: Crystal Palace win, possibly 1-0 or 2-1.
- Betting Tips:
- Palace to win
- Under 2.5 goals
- Both teams to score: No
