Crystal Palace

Alex Pewter
Fan writer

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With managers in football, it's often a case of "the King is dead, long live the King" as you trade one man at the helm for another. In this instance, Crystal Palace fans are shocked to find that the old King is very much alive, and to complete the questionable analogy, has popped up at a rival castle.

With Oliver Glasner set to be the latest in the succession of Nottingham Forest managers, the reaction from Palace fans has skewed negative, to say the least. Fundamentally, it is because people care deeply. When they are indifferent to exiting coaches or players, they are unlikely to be troubled by their next destination.

Forest as Glasner's next club does carry more of an edge, and it's not because Palace fans have any particular aversion to Morgan Gibbs-White or Chris Wood. It's centred entirely around their club's owner, his links and transfer dealings with former-Palace investor John Textor and the Uefa melodrama last season that saw the club demoted to the Conference League - even if that worked out fine in May.

On a personal level, I am happy to separate the most successful manager in Palace's history from whatever he does next. For some, there is likely to be anger or disappointment, which hopefully time will heal, as it often does.

Recent history suggests that, despite any fractious dealings he may have had with Steve Parish, Evangelos Marinakis is unlikely to be quite as forgiving of runs of poor form or press conference outbursts.

Forest, as they have in repeated seasons, are likely to outspend Palace. Perhaps they will be able to outperform them in the league next year, but for those who are believers in Glasner's ability as a manager, Forest does seem more of a lateral move than the next step up in his career.

After all, it is more palatable to wave goodbye to players of the calibre of Marc Guehi or Michael Olise when they are ascending to the top of the game. It is the same with managers.

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Senegal lost 3-2 to Belgium on Wednesday, as the African side were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup.

Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr scored his fourth goal of the tournament making it the joint-most by an African player in a single edition of the competition - along with Roger Milla in 1990.

Watch the full highlights below.

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We asked for your views on ex-Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner being set to succeed Vitor Pereira at Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Bob: I think it's really sad. How on earth can you join a club which is on par with Crystal Palace? I can understand leaving for another top European top club, but Forest? I think I've lost all respect for him.

Kelly: I cannot believe this man has gone to Forest. All the mouth when they stole our Europa League spot and he's ended up there. Disgusting and to the Palace faithful, ultimate betrayal. Hope you get relegated.

Dan: This is arguably the one thing that could have hurt his legacy at Palace. Really disappointed if he goes to Forest, especially given everything that has happened over the past calendar year. I hope he relegates them as a goodwill gesture.

Joe: If this happens it would be extremely disappointing. From super hero to super villain.

Bill: Strange choice really. While not bigging Palace up too much, form-wise in the Premier League, we're on a par with Forest. So it would seem a sideways step to me.

John: Let down badly! Glasner was a Palace hero. What on earth is he thinking going to them after the off field antics of last season?

Paul: Why anyone would want to become a club's fifth manager in 12 months is beyond me? The financial package must be unbelievable. Marinakis will not give Glasner the time, scope or understanding he enjoyed at Palace.

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Vitor Pereira is poised to leave Nottingham Forest with the club ready to appoint former Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner as his successor.

BBC Sport understands a deal to appoint the Austrian is virtually done with just the formalities left to complete.

Contact with Glasner, who left the role as Palace manager at the end of last season, was first initiated earlier this summer.

How would you feel about Glasner joining Forest?

Let us know here

Mohamed Moallim
BBC Sport journalist

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Crystal Palace and Sunderland are the Premier League clubs with the most goals scored by their players at the World Cup after the group stage, highlighting the remarkable depth of international talent now spread throughout England's top flight.

Players from both clubs have combined to score seven goals in North America, placing them ahead of established heavyweights Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Across world football, only Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain's representatives have scored more goals during the tournament so far.

Palace's seven-goal haul has been shared between three players. Ismaila Sarr has struck three times for Senegal, while Daichi Kamada and Daniel Munoz have scored twice for Japan and Colombia respectively.

The tally underlines Palace's growing international pedigree after successive landmark campaigns. The Eagles lifted the FA Cup in 2024-25 - the first major trophy in the club's history - before following it with Conference League success a year later.

New head coach Pierre Sage now inherits a squad whose influence has extended well beyond Selhurst Park.

Premier League clubs (2025-26 season) ranked by World Cup goals:

7: Crystal Palace, Sunderland

5: Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United

4: Liverpool, Manchester City

3: Wolves

2: Brighton, West Ham

1: Aston Villa, Everton, Tottenham

Read more here

Crystal Palace want £50m for defender Maxence Lacroix, who is wanted by Chelsea. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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We asked you which players you have watched at the World Cup that you think would be a great fit at Crystal Palace.

Here are some of your comments:

James: Marcus Rashford is available. There's talk of him being keen on Tottenham but why not Palace? Close to a replacement for Eberechi Eze.

Ted: Ivory Coast's Yan Diomande because of his vision and footwork, and he could slot right next to Ismaila Sarr perfectly because of his speed.

Bob: You've got to be reasonable here and talk of players that are affordable. My choice would be Antonio Nusa, who plays for the Norway national team and plays his club football for RB Leipzig in Germany. He's fast and creative on the wing and would fit in well at Palace.

Josh: Definitely the 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, a new Adam Wharton who controlled the game against Brazil and was very impressive.

James: I like the look of Sweden's Yasin Ayari. I also like Mexico's Raul Jiminez, who was amazing at Fulham and doesn't deserve to be in Championship with Wolves. (Hopefully Ayari forgets Brighton and Palace are rivals)!

Tell us who you have scouted here

Alex Howell
Football reporter

It's the ultimate shop window: a World Cup with 48 teams - all packed with players eager to show what they can do on the biggest stage.

With the transfer window now open, BBC Sport journalists have been taking a look at some of the key names being discussed.

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Crystal Palace will come into the season fresh from winning the Conference League, and they have another European campaign as a result.

The main thing that was highlighted last season was that the squad that Palace started the season with lacked depth, which is why the club brought in Jorgen Strand Larsen, Brennan Johnson and Evann Guessand in the winter transfer window.

The Europa League will present a higher level of competition for Palace and as a result they will need to invest again.

Tyrick Mitchell is the only real first-team quality option at left-back, and right-back Daniel Munoz, 30, had knee surgery last season and did not look the same afterwards.

Munoz is now at the World Cup with Colombia. Even though Mitchell has had the summer off after missing out on the England squad, the full-back areas are where Palace will need to bring in back-up or players who can rival the current choices for a place in the starting XI.

New boss Pierre Sage will surely be keeping an eye on the World Cup, but he is fresh to the role and therefore Palace's signing plans are unclear for now.

Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist

In a side featuring Luis Diaz and James Rodriguez, it seems remarkable that Colombia's greatest threat in this World Cup has come from a wing-back.

It is now two goals in two games at the tournament for Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz - and he might reasonably think it should be more.

It is no exaggeration to say he could have had a hat-trick in their 1-0 win against DR Congo.

The one goal he scored came via a deflection, but neither he nor Colombia will care a jot given the strike sealed their qualification from the group.

Munoz's attacking threat should also come as no surprise. It has been evident throughout his time at Palace.

But if teams have been sleeping on the danger the right wing-back poses so far in this World Cup, then that will surely change now.

The 30-year-old's ability to ghost in around the back, arriving late and invariably timing his runs to perfection, speaks to his experience.

This is something he has been doing for years. It is second nature to him and combating those darts from out to in is easier said than done - especially for defences already concerned about Diaz and co.

Munoz is at the peak of his powers, and among the world's best in his position, so he can expect to be high on the opposition scouting reports from now on.

Stopping him is another matter.

Read more about Munoz's display here

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Some of you have used our Ask Me Anything service to query key European dates for next season.

Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace will play in the Europa League next season, with the league phase draw taking place on Friday, 28 August.

The first round of games will be played on either 16 or 17 September and there will be eight matchdays that culminate on 28 January 2027.

From there, it is knockout football with the final taking place in Frankfurt on 26 May 2027.

League phase games will be played:

• 16/17 September 2026

• 15 October 2026

• 22 October 2026

• 5 November 2026

• 26 November 2026

• 10 December 2026

• 21 January 2027

• 28 January 2027

Knockout games will be played:

• Knockout phase play-offs - 18 and 25 February 2027

• Round of 16 - 11 and 18 March 2027

• Quarter-finals - 8 and 15 April 2027

• Semi-finals - 29 April and 6 May 2027

• Final - 26 May 2027

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When Everton welcome yet another season of top-flight football, Crystal Palace's new boss Pierre Sage will be making his Premier League debut on the touchline at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Ex-Palace boss Oliver Glasner may have won an FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League with the Eagles, but the Austrian manager was unable to beat Everton home and away during his tenure.

So Sage will have to buck an ugly trend as Crystal Palace have won just one of their past 23 Premier League matches against the Toffees (D10 L12), a 3-1 home victory in December 2021.

However, the opener has not provided the emphatic start the Toffees have been hoping for in recent years.

Everton have lost their first match in each of the past four Premier League seasons – their joint-longest losing run in their first game of a league campaign.

• Read more on the matches and rule changes for 2026-27

Crystal Palace will begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign under new boss Pierre Sage with a trip to Everton.

The match will take place on Saturday, 22 August at 15:00 BST, with the Eagles' first home fixture against Manchester City on the weekend of 29-30 August.

Sage's side face Arsenal (H), Bournemouth (H), Brentford (A) and Chelsea (H) over the Christmas and New Year period.

And they end their league season against Leeds United at Selhurst Park on Sunday, 30 May, when all games will kick off at the same time.

See Crystal Palace's Premier League fixtures in full here

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With the countdown to the 2026-27 Premier League fixture release well and truly on, we asked for your stories of opening-day games - both good and bad - that have stuck in your minds most.

Here are some of your replies:

Barry: Best was winning 4-0 away at Cardiff in 1968-69 as it was the season we went up to the First Division for the first time. Worst was about three years later when we lost 4-1 at home to Notts County in our first season back in the Second Division after being relegated.

Alan: In the yo-yo years of promotion and relegation, did we not kick off one season with a 6-1 home defeat by Liverpool?

Al: I would say our first game in the top flight - Crystal Palace's 2-2 home draw with Manchester United. George Best, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and others could not beat us that day. I went home so proud.

Andy: The best start to a season has to be winning the Community Shield last season. I know it isn't a league game, but who would have thought we would have beaten the previous season's champions with all the money they spent?

Come back to this page at 10:00 BST to see how the Eagles' 2026-27 Premier League fixtures have fallen.

Image source, Getty Images

Colombia made a winning return to the World Cup by defeating debutants Uzbekistan, with Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz among the goalscorers.

Munoz opened the scoring in a 3-1 win with a sublimely taken volley.

Watch the highlights below and keep an eye out for a super finish.

Ellie Killick
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Some 28 months ago, Oliver Glasner joined Crystal Palace as an unknown manager from the Bundesliga. Fast forward two years and he left a legend, someone who took my team to heights I thought unimaginable and with three trophies in our cabinet.

Now we again sit in familiar territory. Just a few weeks ago, I had no idea who Pierre Sage was, but after reading up on his tremendous seasons with Lyon and Lens, I'm filled with nothing but excitement.

Taking a team from the relegation zone to Europe is no easy feat!

Sage is a manager who knows how to win and, most importantly how to win trophies - and just like us, he comes into the job with momentum.

His announcement interview outlines the exact mentality we want from a manager, and the word "ambition" really resonates with me.

Crystal Palace are currently at a high point and I really hope we continue to go from strength to strength. Now is the time to push on and hopefully Sage gets the correct backing from the board.

Glasner's shoes are going to be hard to fill, but I have full confidence in Sage and I look forward to seeing what the team can achieve under his reign.

Welcome to south London, Pierre Sage. We look forward to welcoming the French flare to Selhurst Park and going on another European tour with you.

Find more from Ellie Killick at Eagle Eye View, external

The World Cup may be less than a week old but the 2026-27 Premier League fixtures will be released on Friday.

And to get in the mood as Crystal Palace start life under Pierre Sage, we want your stories of opening-day games that have stuck in your minds most - both the good and the bad.

Get in touch with your memories here

And make sure to come back to this page on Friday to see how the Eagles' league fixture list has fallen.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Pierre Sage's appointment at Crystal Palace and what his priorities are.

Here are some of your comments:

Simon: It's a good fit tactically, and he has the experience of winning trophies and playing in Europe. This is less of a French Revolution and more evolution under a younger manager, who is progressive. Will it be a "sage" decision to appoint Pierre? Time will show.

Les: Great appointment. Credit to Steve Parish for getting it done so quickly. However, we must not rest on our laurels. We must get going and sign some players quickly. The squad is very weak and a lot of new faces are needed to revitalise the club. Looking forward to a good season. Come on, you Eagles!

Martin: It feels like Oliver Glaser v2, so I'm happy.

Rob: It's an exciting appointment. Sage has done well on a limited budget at Lens and knows how to win a trophy. Given he plays a similar style to Glasner, I'm hoping he hits the ground running.

Mike: We all wish Sage great and continued success in his career at Palace. My main concern is can Parish walk his talk and recruit the new players needed to take Crystal Palace to the next level? The antecedence in this area is not good and, without considerable investment in the team, next season will be difficult.

Prudent Nsengiyumva
BBC Sport journalist

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Pierre Sage's Lens side were built not only on aggressive pressing but also a willingness to attack quickly once the ball is won back.

The Opta numbers show a team intent on regaining possession high up the pitch. Lens made 426 high turnovers during the 2025-26 season, frequently turning those moments into chances, producing 69 shots and seven goals.

The focus was not just on winning the ball, but on doing it in areas where they can immediately threaten. That approach shapes how they attack.

The Ligue 1 side produced 65 direct attacks and 55 fast breaks last season, highlighting a clear preference for moving forward at speed rather than recycling possession.

Their overall profile reflects that trade-off.

Lens averaged 51.9% possession in 2025-26 - but their game is less about long spells on the ball and more about what happens the moment they win it back.

It speaks to a deliberate strategy, rather than a lack of control.

The result is the clear identity of a side less concerned about dominating the ball and more focused on controlling games through pressure, regains and rapid transitions.