Crystal Palace

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United need to inject some impetus into their toiling season on Sunday when they visit Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park (14:00 BST) in the Premier League.

The Magpies have had three weeks to stew on their loss to bitter rivals Sunderland last time out. Eddie Howe's side have struggled for consistency this season, yet they remain just four points off the top seven going into the final stretch of top-flight games.

As for Palace, with Premier League safety virtually secured, their focus is on European competition - on Thursday they beat Fiorentina 3-0 at home in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final.

Palace priorities elsewhere?

There have been times this season when Palace's campaign has threatened to spiral out of control. But their depleted squad and departing head coach Oliver Glasner have just about kept things together.

The Eagles have a genuine shot at European glory in the Conference League, and that in turn would mean Europa League football next season. So it would be no surprise if Glasner's focus was mainly on the second-leg in Florence on Thursday.

Palace have found it hard to juggle their European and domestic commitments this campaign. They have only won one of their nine Premier League games that have immediately followed a Conference League clash.

That one success - against Wolves in Februrary - was also a rare one for the home crowd to enjoy - their only victory in the past 10 at Selhurst Park. Only Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur - both two - have fewer home wins this season than Palace's three.

A huge weakness for them in 2025–26 has been dealing with set pieces, and Newcastle do not represent an appealing match-up on that front.

Palace have conceded 43% of their Premier League goals this term from non-penalty set-pieces (15/35), which is the highest ratio of any side. Only Arsenal and Manchester United have scored more non-penalty set-piece goals than Newcastle in the same period.

Newcastle in need

At times, this season has promised plenty for Newcastle. But now it is on the brink of fizzling out.

The week before the recent break was billed as a huge one for the Magpies, and while it started well with a win at Chelsea, it quickly unravelled with a hammering by Barcelona and an agonising late loss to Sunderland.

With that in mind, the break may have come at a good time for the Newcastle squad. The same can be said for their manager Howe, who has been subject to increased scrutiny as the season has rolled on.

The Magpies boss is on the brink of a significant landmark at St James' Park, as he closes in on the number of wins accrued by legendary figures Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan.

Reaching the top of that list will count for little for Howe if Newcastle do not secure European football by the end of the campaign though you suspect.

Having struggled away from home earlier in the season, Newcastle may welcome a fixture away from St James' Park, where they have lost six of their past 10 matches in all competitions.

On the road, Newcastle's overall record leaves a lot to be desired, but there were signs of improvement before the Barcelona mauling, having won four of their previous five away matches.

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

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Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr has stepped into the spotlight for his side amid a turbulent period marked by poor form, managerial uncertainty and major player departures.

The 28-year-old has remained at Selhurst Park despite the exits of Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi, while manager Oliver Glasner has announced he will leave at the end of the season. Jean‑Philippe Mateta also saw a deadline‑day move to AC Milan collapse in January after failing a medical.

Sarr's form has been a rare positive. His seven goals in his last 20 Premier League matches, along with four in seven Conference League games, earned him the club's player of the month award.

He also claimed goal of the month for a crucial strike against Tottenham, which helped ensure a recent dip in form did not develop into a shock relegation battle.

His finishing places him in the 81st percentile (before gameweek 32), while his performances at the Africa Cup of Nations helped Senegal win the tournament in Morocco – a title later stripped from them in the weeks that followed.

It leaves the forward, who is capable of playing across the frontline, attracting early interest from elsewhere, though he will still have three years remaining on his contract this summer.

It will be up to those at Palace to ensure history does not repeat itself, having previously lost key figures following recent success, including FA Cup glory last summer and a return to European competition for the first time in 18 years.

Josh Lobley
BBC Sport Journalist

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Newcastle at Selhurst Park (kick-off 14:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Glasner said attackers Jorgen Strand Larsen and Christantus Uche will be available for Sunday's match, but the club still need to assess both Jean-Philippe Mateta and Evan Guessand before deciding if they are available.

• Glasner confirmed Cheick Doucoure will not be available and that Eddie Nketiah will not play again this season.

• More on team news: "We are not planning to rotate massively. Firstly because I am convinced that the players are fresher. Secondly, the best preparation for a game is a good performance in the previous one. We want to go to Florence with a good performance and a good result."

• Glasner says he expects Newcastle to be the "fresher" side on Sunday given that they haven't played a match for three weeks, adding: "Eddie Howe's teams always play with some of the highest intensity in the Premier League, with so much pace".

• He spoke more on the Magpies' weak points: "They conceded quite a lot of goals in their last few games before the [international] break, they can often concede two or three goals. If we are sharp and play our style, I am pretty convinced we can create three or four chances and then it's about being efficient from it - and also controlling their pace."

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We asked for your views on Crystal Palace's 3-0 win over Fiorentina in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final.

Here are some of your comments:

Al: Palace of old - solid, dynamic and taking chances. Great result and feeling confident for a semi final place. The European dream is still on.

Andy: Great display, showed what they are capable of. Go on you Palace.

Steve: We were absolutely on fire in that first half, creating chance after chance with relentless service from the wings. It's some of the best football I've seen from Palace in a long time and we completely bullied them despite a few missed chances. The energy stayed high right to the end, with Munoz and Pino having a blast and that perfect Kamada cross for Sarr's header capping off a dominant performance.

Gary: Must be the best performance of the season. Dominating attacking performance apart from 20 mins in second half. We kept attacking to get the third goal when we could have settled for 2-0. I left the pub buzzing!!!

Gareth: Fantastic performance tonight from Palace. Mitchell was my MOTM with Sarr a close second. Probably Pino's most productive game since he arrived and changed the momentum in the second half. On our way to Leipzig.

Adrian: You can't stop us. European trophy next in the cabinet.

Paul: Fantastic performance, the best so far in the Conference League. Again, the officiating was awful, including the linesman somehow missing the ball bouncing over the line. Pino, once again, played well.

Hector: Great performance! Went to the game. Brilliant atmosphere and just played such nice football especially in the first half. Slouched off a bit between half time and the 60-minute mark but Pino was great when he came on. He brings flair - exactly what we needed. Also felt Canvot played extremely well and loved seeing him with loads of confidence. He looked like a different player from the start of the season. Through to the semi-final or is that a little to early to call?

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

If there were any doubts about Jean-Philippe Mateta's commitment to the Crystal Palace cause after his failed January departure, they can be pushed aside for now.

The Eagles are in uncharted territory in European competition, and the sight of flags, banners and a barrage of white streamers as the players entered the pitch only added to the sense of occasion.

After a campaign that has teetered on the edge of crisis on several occasions, a quarter-final tie against a Fiorentina side who have reached the semi-finals in each of the past three seasons could have been a step too far.

But Mateta's bullish first-half performance summed up a Palace display far removed from the laboured outings typical of their campaign.

Before tonight Palace had missed 36 of their 46 big chances in the competition, more than any other side, and had scored only 16 goals from an xG rating of 23.1, the greatest underperformance of any team.

But on Thursday Oliver Glasner's side scored when they needed to – twice when dominant in the first half and then late on to kill off a resurgent fight back.

Glasner has drawn plenty of criticism from Palace fans in recent months, but he should take credit for bringing Daniel Munoz into the XI and introducing Yeremy Pino midway through the second half.

Munoz provided much-needed width and quality from the right flank, while Pino's energy and drive helped Palace reestablish the press that had Fiorentina hanging on before the break.

Palace rode their luck at times, but three more performances of that ilk should see them reach a first European final in club history.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner speaking to TNT Sports: "More importantly for me was the performance, in the first half and then let's say the last 20 minutes. Brilliant, fantastic performance, great pressure, playing well and always attacking the box, the balls in behind. We knew that they are very compact but we were going in behind and creating so many chances, which was great to see."

On what he was frustrated about on the touchline: "We lost the ball too easily and quickly, the game was too wild, it was up and down, when you are 2-0 up, you should get more control. We had four or five easy ball losses and that gave the momentum to Fiorentina. I was pleased to see we didn't get frustrated against a very good team from Italy, kept our heads up and knew we could get the momentum again. In the end, we were really close to scoring the fourth goal and it was a great performance."

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta speaking to TNT Sports: "What a night. I dreamed about scoring that goal for nights. I did and I am so happy."

On whether he has a message to the fans: "They know me, I keep working hard. They know I am always here and hopefully we can finish the job in Italy."

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Crystal Palace's performance

Come back on Friday for a selection of your replies

Oliver Glasner makes three changes to the Crystal Palace side that defeated AEK Larnaca three weeks ago.

Dean Henderson replaces Walter Benitez in goal, while Daniel Munoz comes in for Brennan Johnson.

With Jorgen Strand Larsen suspended, Jean-Philippe Mateta starts up front. Adam Wharton starts after recovering from an injury picked up during the international break.

Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Canvot, Mitchell, Wharton, Kamada, Sarr, Guessand, Mateta

Substitutes: Benitez, Matthews, Lerma, Pino, Johnson, Clyne, Hughes, Sosa, Riad, Devenny, Cardines

Fiorentina XI: De Gea, Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens, Fabbian, Fagioli, Ndour, Harrison, Piccoli, Gudmundsson

Subs: Leonardelli, Christensen, Mandragora, Comuzzo, Fazzini, Kospo, Kouadio, Braschi, Balbo, Deli, Puzzoli

There are three Europa League and Conference League fixtures involving Premier League clubs on Thursday night - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Europa League: Bologna v Aston Villa - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Europa League: Porto v Nottingham Forest

• Conference League: Crystal Palace v Fiorentina

All kick-off times 20:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentary on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Bologna v Aston Villa".

The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.

Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.

So how are you feeling as a Crystal Palace fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?

The league form reads: WLWLWD

The next three league fixtures are: Newcastle (h), West Ham (h), Liverpool (a)

Let us know how you're feeling here

Leeds United are ready to rival Crystal Palace in the race to sign Hearts midfielder Alfie Osborne, 17, who could be signed for a modest compensation fee. (The Hard Tackle, external)

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Crystal Palace's Brennan Johnson says returning to the club after missing out on qualification for this summer's World Cup with Wales over the international break has "felt like a bit of fresh air".

The 24-year-old missed his penalty as Craig Bellamy's side lost a shoot-out to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the play-off semi-finals.

"Of course everyone on the team was really upset," said Johnson.

"But coming back here, I had numerous messages from the fellas straight after the game and also the staff."

Palace return to action for the first time since 19 March when they host Fiorentina in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final on Thursday.

"It's felt like a bit of fresh air," Johnson added in the pre-match news conference.

"We've got some massive games to look forward to, so I think that's really helped in focusing on something else, and it's one we're all really excited for."

When asked about Palace being favourites to win the Conference League, Johnson, who signed from Europa League winners Tottenham in January, said: "Personally, I feel like I use that as confidence.

"When you get to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and you're up against amazing teams, use it as confidence as much as we can, but at the same time know these teams provide real quality as well."

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Conference League quarter-final first leg against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Glasner said Adam Wharton picked up a "minor adductor issue" while playing in England's friendly draw against Uruguay over the international break but "it's all sorted" and "is available" to play on Thursday.

• On Wharton, he added: "The English team managed the minutes very well so we are very pleased that Adam also got a little bit of a break and then started preparing for the Fiorentina game by Sunday."

• Glasner broke the news that Eddie Nketiah picked up a fresh injury in training: "It's how football is - it looks like everybody is available for tomorrow's game and it was, up until two minutes before the end of the session. Eddie unfortunately injured his hamstring again and had to leave the pitch. He won't make tomorrow's squad and we will have a scan again but it doesn't look good again for him."

• Glasner added: "He was very disappointed and we are suffering with him. The worst thing as a player is when you are injured, especially when you have setbacks, and that makes it really tough for Eddie. Like always he will have all our support to come back. We will know more tomorrow."

• On the fitness of the rest of his squad, Glasner said: "All the others are available. On Sunday we trained with 23 outfield players for the first time this season. It's how it is."

• On the international break: "We managed these three weeks quite well for everyone. I spent some time with the family, then we started with the players who were here - seven players plus a few from our under-21s. We started two weeks before tomorrow's game, and we had an in-house game with our under-21s to stay in the rhythm. All internationals had minutes with their national teams, then all the internationals had a few days off after the game - we could afford this."

• How did he spend his personal time? "When I went home my calendar was empty and I was a bit nervous about what to do because I'm not used to it, but then I went skiing in the mountains, it was good, for two days, and I spent some time with the family."

• On the challenge posed by Fiorentina: "On Saturday, I went to Verona to watch Fiorentina. On Sunday, we were all together and started to prepare. We had quite a lot of time to prepare - we feel ready and we're looking ready."

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Crystal Palace are close to signing 16-year-old left-back Harris Afzal - dubbed the next Andy Robertson - from Queen's Park. (TeamTalk, external)

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Alex Pewter
Fan writer

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This week, Crystal Palace are one of the five remaining English teams left in European competitions, and nationally, probably the fifth-most important.

Demotion from the Europa League has meant that while Palace fans have endured the trials and tribulations of Uefa's third-ranked club competition, it has been a minor blip on the radar to a much wider audience.

Even on Thursday itself, the allure of Porto v Nottingham Forest and Bologna v Aston Villa may draw the media's focus, and for the Conference League, rightly or wrongly, the assumption is that the Premier League entrant should be competing for honours - the story only becomes interesting if a team makes it to the final.

Nonetheless, from the Palace fan standpoint, the arrival of Fiorentina at Selhurst Park marks the first time a club of this stature has travelled to SE25 in the Conference League.

For dedicated or casual watchers of Football Italia in the 1990s, Serie A and teams like Fiorentina hold a special place in our football experience. In an era when glimpses of most international talent were restricted to selected Champions League games and international tournaments, the stars in Italy were as accessible as Premier League players were on Match of the Day.

This iteration of Fiorentina may not be the team of Gabriel Batistuta and Rui Costa, and because of the cross-pollination between European leagues, there are many familiar names and faces within the opposing squad. Still, this match marks the start of the business end of the competition. The metaphorical slate can be wiped clean of low-block football that has haunted Oliver Glasner throughout the competition.

Palace are four matches away from a potential final in Leipzig and Thursday is the first opportunity to see how they intend to meet that challenge.

Find more from Alex Pewter at FYP podcast, external

Former Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson says he does not have "as much sympathy maybe as the guy in the street" when it comes to the current Eagles boss Oliver Glasner.

On Glasner's frustrations with players being sold, Hodgson told the Wayne Rooney Show: "I think his reward [for winning the FA Cup] is the status and the reputation it has given him.

"If you're Crystal Palace - I'm sorry - I'll give you the names of three players: [Michael] Olise certainly is up there with Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard amongst the best players I've ever worked with.

"Marc Guehi is up there with Gerrard, Rooney and John Terry amongst the best players I've ever worked with and there's Eberechi Eze - he's up there too.

"Now you're pretty lucky if you come to a club and you've got those players - that is half a chance really.

"I accepted in the five years I spent at Crystal Palace that there wasn't money to spend. He wasn't going to buy many players. If we did produce one as we did with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, he's not going to stay.

"I don't have as much sympathy maybe as the guy in the street and don't forget they have spent £150m quite recently on making the squad bigger.

"What amazes me to some extent is, you look at the bench and four or five of the players who have cost a lot of money, that's where they are. We never had that luxury. "

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Manchester United will look to add two new central midfielders to their squad this summer, with Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson and Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali all under consideration. (Givemesport), external

Crystal Palace are believed to be moving on to other managerial targets as Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is unlikely to make the switch to Selhurst Park. (Sky Sports), external

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Ellie Killick
Fan writer

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"England's number one' is a phrase that has echoed around Selhurst Park in recent seasons, a reflection of just how highly regarded Dean Henderson is among Crystal Palace fans.

Yet since making his international debut in 2020 he has only made four appearances for the Three Lions.

After becoming the England manager back in January 2025, Thomas Tuchel made it very clear every player has to fight for their position, with no exception for the goalkeepers.

Since his introduction in 2017 Jordan Pickford has held that number one shirt with little genuine pressure, but now with the World Cup approaching, that certainty may finally be under threat.

A major reason for that is Henderson's growing influence in Europe. Crystal Palace's Conference League campaign has offered him a stage he has rarely had before.

He is not alone with Manchester City's James Trafford also emerging as a serious contender after making his senior England debut last Friday against Uruguay, although the 23-year-old represents more potential for the future than someone ready to take the number one shirt this summer.

In the Premier League Henderson has played three less games than his competitor, Pickford, keeping just one less clean sheet with 10 and conceding the same amount of goals totalling to 35.

Despite being part of tournament squads before, Henderson is yet to establish himself on the world stage.

Experience, particularly in high-pressure international fixtures, remains an area where Pickford still holds a clear advantage.

However, what strengthens Henderson's case is his proven ability in defining moments for his club.

Most notably the historical FA Cup win over Manchester City last May, and now in Europe he is showcasing it again with Palace progressing to the quarter-finals.

While he is basically all but guaranteed a spot on the plane, hopefully alongside Adam Wharton, the question now is whether those moments will be enough to convince Tuchel that Henderson is ready to shift England's goalkeeping hierarchy.

Find more from Ellie Killick at Eagle Eye View, external

La Liga side Villarrael want to sign Crystal Palace winger Ismaila Sarr this summer. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

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Alex Pewter
Fan writer

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Crystal Palace may not be immediately playing following the international break, but that does not mean Palace players will not be.

In 2025-26, a record number of academy players have appeared in the Championship on loan - five in total - with a sixth non-academy prospect, Romain Esse, currently with leaders Coventry City.

Building success for the academy via loan pathways has been a growing project for the club, without a proven case study to point towards. The two homegrown success stories after promotion, Tyrick Mitchell and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, were dropped into the deep end in the Premier League.

The question is now, with the current crop of loanees, how can the club capitalise on these moves. Even if the player ultimately does not make it to the highest level, proving yourself as a capable player in the second tier is still a marker of success. Opta currently ranks the Championship as the 10th strongest in the world.

In that vein, players such as David Ozoh, in his second year at Derby County, Tayo Adaramola at Sheffield Wednesday and Danny Imray at West Bromwich Albion would be players likely to head to the exit in the summer, having added to their CV. Any return on those players would certainly aid in funding the next generation of academy players coming through.

The larger question marks remain over Jes Rak-Sakyi, who has suffered a stop-start developmental curve in his time at the club, and Esse. Stylistically similar and already well-established as Championship players, both have likely needed to outlive Oliver Glasner at Palace to get another look in the first team.

Age is on Esse's side as he is two and half years younger than Rak-Sakyi, and both will have eyes on the Premier League next season - whether that is with Palace or not.

Find more from Alex Pewter at FYP podcast, external

Real Madrid will look to sign Crystal Palace's 22-year-old England midfielder Adam Wharton if they fail to acquire Spain midfielder Rodri, 29, from Manchester City this summer. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

Liverpool will face strong competition from Bayern Munich for the signing of 25-year-old France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace. (Teamtalk), external

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