Since Roy Hodgson handed Tyrick Mitchell his debut against Leicester City in July 2020, he has consistently occupied the left-back position and has not been dislodged by anyone.
The academy graduate has already racked up 210 Premier League appearances and 247 appearances in total for Palace.
Alongside this, he has earned two England caps and, impressively, scored eight goals from his unlikely position along the way. No matter who has taken charge of the squad, whether it be Roy Hodgson, Patrick Vieira, Oliver Glasner or even new man Pierre Sage, it feels as though one name is guaranteed to appear on the team sheet.
One of the main reasons behind this is Mitchell’s impressive injury record. Since the beginning of the 2021/22 campaign, the fans’ favourite has missed only six matches, making him one of the most reliable figures within the senior squad.
His defensive discipline and positioning give us a clear outlet on the left-hand side, while his ability to carry the ball up the wing allows us to transition effectively. Occasionally, he is able to turn these attacking forays into goalscoring opportunities through wicked crosses and expertly taken finishes.
The former was perfectly exemplified away at Brighton during the 2024/25 season when his inch-perfect cross looped over the Seagulls’ defenders’ heads and landed perfectly for Ismaïla Sarr to nod home.
Yet this weekend against Fulham he provided a superb representation of just how effective our club legend can be when driving at the opposition. With the score at 1-0 to the hosts at Craven Cottage, Eddie Nketiah picked out the Englishman galloping down the left-hand side as he held off a challenge from a retreating Cottager. Mitchell brushed aside the pressure and drove a powerful effort beyond the helpless Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal.
His second arrived in somewhat bizarre fashion, yet once again demonstrated the natural attacking instincts he possesses. Mitchell surged forward and drove towards goal, striking an effort as Yeremy Pino attempted to divert it goalwards.
The recovering Gonzalo García managed only to clear the ball straight back onto Mitchell, with the ball rebounding off his left foot and bundling over the line as García desperately attempted to swipe it clear. The goal was hardly an example of devastating finishing, but it once again highlighted the instinctive nature of a multi-faceted player.
Arguably the best example of his goalscoring ability came during the Conference League group stage last season when he scored away at Strasbourg after latching onto an incisive pass from Jean-Philippe Mateta before driving the ball into the bottom corner. He later added a crucial goal in the first leg of our European quarter-final against Fiorentina to help us on our way to European glory.
In spite of his on-pitch heroics, which extend far beyond his defensive capabilities, it is the respect he has earned off the field that makes him one of our true favourites. After Ben Chilwell’s introduction helped complete the comeback at Craven Cottage, it was our left-back partnership that deservedly received the adulation of fans and players alike.
The former Chelsea and Leicester defender lapped up the applause as he appeared to fill the Maxence Lacroix-shaped void of post-match cheerleader. However, the more reserved Mitchell actively attempted to avoid the limelight. Dean Henderson and Will Hughes, alongside Jørgen Strand Larsen, repeatedly tried to push him in front of the travelling support, but he initially resisted the invitation to accept the admiration being showered upon him.
Eventually, he was propelled to the front of the away end and offered a trio of fist pumps towards the supporters. It is exactly this kind of behaviour that continues to endear him to Palace fans.
Mitchell is the consummate professional, shunning the spotlight at every opportunity due to his commitment to hard work and getting the job done. His calm and measured personality translates directly to his performances, where a level-headed approach ensures opposition right wingers are frequently kept quiet.
Star players and big names have come and gone, yet one key factor in all of our trophy-winning teams remains. Naturally, Mitchell started all three of Palace’s biggest recent fixtures: the FA Cup Final against Manchester City, the Community Shield against Liverpool, and the Conference League Final in Leipzig against Rayo Vallecano.
All three performances were exemplary demonstrations of composure under pressure, providing the rest of the team with assurance and confidence. As supporters, it can be difficult to truly appreciate how intense these occasions must be, but it speaks volumes about Mitchell’s strengths that the players he directly faced were largely silenced.
Was it merely a coincidence that one of Vallecano’s most creative players, the unpredictable Jorge de Frutos, was nullified in Germany while operating against Mitchell on the right flank?
A more high-profile challenge arrived at Wembley in August as Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s Egyptian King and one of the Premier League’s greatest goalscorers, was effectively kept quiet by the now-experienced Palace defender. In the all-important clash against City at the same stadium, Savinho was initially tasked with getting the better of Mitchell but was ultimately unsuccessful. Pep Guardiola then turned to Phil Foden in an effort to make the difference from a similar position. He too failed to have a meaningful impact.
The common denominator in all of these match-ups is Mitchell, who has now accumulated enough experience in red and blue to cope with world-class threats such as those mentioned above. Even the concession of a penalty in the first half of the FA Cup Final was ultimately rendered irrelevant by the defiant Dean Henderson, who denied Omar Marmoush from the spot.
There is also a strong argument, one that I personally agree with, that Mitchell actually got a touch on the ball when challenging Bernardo Silva and that it was largely the Portuguese international’s theatrics, rather than any genuine wrongdoing, that earned the penalty decision.
Perhaps it is Mitchell’s consistency and emotional control that cause him to go under the radar and prevent him from being viewed as one of the most important members of the squad. After all, he does not possess the flair of Ebere Eze or the inch-perfect passing range of Adam Wharton.
Surely, though, after all he has achieved, a greater reward cannot be too far away.
Thomas Tuchel was in attendance at Craven Cottage on Saturday and will hopefully have taken notice of a player who arguably should have been on the plane to the United States in the summer. Given the lack of natural left-backs within the England setup, his omission felt particularly painful for Palace supporters who understand his qualities and what he is capable of achieving.
Hopefully, for Palace and perhaps even England, Tyrick Mitchell continues to do exactly what we know he can do.
