After the events of midweek, the pressure is mounting on Palace boss Oliver Glasner with Palace having won just one game in fifteen.
The comments made by the Austrian in the pre-match press conference leading up to this game at Selhurst Park were far from inspiring and combined with the draw in Bosnia it is rumoured that the board are considering his position.
It is difficult to know what the best course of action is for the remainder of the season, but the poor run of form including the manner of the home defeat to Burnley and the draw against Mostar is certainly pushing the club closer to pulling the plug.
Should the Eagles lose this weekend to bottom of the table Wolverhampton Wanderers, who themselves are playing with some freedom in recent weeks with nothing to lose, the position of Glasner will be untenable if indeed it has not become that already.
You can assess the Conference League play off first leg in Bosnia however you like, but it will all depend on what happens by the time the final whistle is blown in the second leg. However, it was more the manner of the performance with a real lack of intensity and urgency which is looking familiar most weeks at the moment.
It is hard to suggest what the issue is, and it is all too easy to point the finger at Glasner and his decision to make his announcement when he did. It certainly feels like we are going through the motions through to the end of the season as we head into a summer of change. That change could well be fast tracked, particularly is Sunday ends in defeat.
Many of us thought that injuries had an impact on the performances but with only Jefferson Lerma and Eddie Nketiah missing (you can hardly count Cheick Doucoure as we have been without him for such a long time), it was hoped that the tide would turn sooner rather than later, especially after that victory on the South Coast.
While Jorgen Strand Larsen has hit the ground running with goals early in his Palace career and Evann Guessand showing some promise, Daniel Munoz and Diachi Kamada appear to be struggling for match fitness, certainly the Colombian has not returned in the way we would be expecting of him.
It feels as though this weekend is a critical moment of the season and one that will decide once and for all whether Glasner will be permitted to manage the Conference League second leg let alone the rest of the season.
⭐ Context & Form
Wolves come into this fixture three matches unbeaten, buoyed by a dramatic 2–2 comeback draw vs Arsenal in midweek, including a stoppage‑time equaliser from Tom Edozie. They’ve also drawn with Nottingham Forest and beaten Grimsby Town recently, losing only three of their past 11 across all competitions.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are dealing with a heavy schedule after a 1–1 draw away to HŠK Zrinjski Mostar in the Europa Conference League on Thursday. Results domestically have been mixed, but they have been difficult to beat, suffering only three losses in their last 19 games.
🩺 Team News
Crystal Palace
- OUT: Cheick Doucouré, Eddie Nketiah, Jean‑Philippe Mateta (long‑term).
- DOUBTFUL: Maxence Lacroix (late fitness test).
- LIKELY AVAILABLE: Chadi Riad (cramp recovery).
- NOT AVAILABLE AGAIN: Jefferson Lerma.
Wolves
- BACK FIT: Angel Gomes (back issue cleared).
- RETURNING: Captain Toti (hamstring), back in team training and could feature.
- MINOR NIGGLES: A few players monitored but none ruled out.
📊 Key Numbers & Stat Pack
Top Scorers
- Crystal Palace: Ismaïla Sarr – 11 goals
- Wolves: Tolu Arokodare – 5 goals
Clean Sheets
- Crystal Palace – Dean Henderson: 12
- Wolves – José Sá: 3
Recent Momentum
- Wolves: Unbeaten in 3, only 3 losses in last 11, looking for their first away Premier League win under Rob Edwards.
- Palace: Draw in Europe midweek; domestic struggles noted, with just one league win in last 11 according to Squawka.
🧠 Head‑to‑Head Overview
- Palace have been strong in recent meetings, with just one defeat in their last nine against Wolves.
- Across the full historical record:
- Wolves wins: 30
- Palace wins: 28
- Draws: 20
(78 total meetings)
Palace also won the most recent high‑scoring encounter 4–2 at Selhurst Park last season.
🔍 Tactical & Match Dynamics
Crystal Palace (Oliver Glasner)
- Pressing side that thrives on defensive organisation and direct transitions.
- Fatigue could be a factor after Thursday’s European travel.
- Missing key midfielders (Cheick Doucouré, Jefferson Lerma), meaning the engine room is weakened.
- Ismaïla Sarr remains their primary threat, providing pace on the break.
Wolves (Rob Edwards)
- A side improving in resilience and confidence.
- Edwards has introduced more structure and solidity — evident in the fightback against Arsenal.
- Return of Angel Gomes and Toti boosts midfield control and defensive stability.
- Target: first Premier League away win of the season.
🔮 Prediction Outlook
- Wolves’ recent form and lifted spirits skew this toward a closer contest than the table suggests.
- Palace’s poor league run + injuries + short turnaround could make them vulnerable.
- However, Palace’s strong home and H2H record cannot be ignored.
Likely Outcome:
Draw or a narrow Wolves result feels most plausible.
This aligns with insights suggesting Wolves are increasingly hard to beat, while Palace’s league confidence is currently low.
Officials
- Referee: Tom Kirk
- Assistants: Simon Bennett, Neil Davies
- Fourth official: Ben Toner
- VAR: Stuart Attwell
- Assistant VAR: Steve Meredith
