After a summer of change in South London, Crystal Palace enter their 14th consecutive Premier League campaign under new French manager Pierre Sage. Sage replaced Oliver Glasner following the club’s historic UEFA Conference League triumph. The Eagles’ continental success earned them a Europa League berth despite a 15th‑place finish. On the back of an FA Cup success too, the clubs first ever major honour, it’s been a great time to be a Palace fan. Let’s dig into the upcoming season and see how the Eagles might fare this time around. Stay in touch with all of our picks and shows on the Premier League Gambling Podcast.
Sage’s arrival signals a tactical reset built around controlled possession and vertical transitions. Palace’s ambition is clear: consolidate mid‑table stability and push back toward the top half while balancing European commitments. This latter point is the real key to Palace’s season. Premier League teams in Europe, especially the middle to lower tier teams, have struggled in recent years to maintain their momentum domestically. It remains to be seen whether the Croydon outfit can buck that trend. Stay up to date with all of the Premier League results and fixtures here.
Pierre Sage
Pierre Sage arrives at Selhurst Park with a reputation forged in France’s coaching laboratories rather than its celebrity dugouts. Sage’s rise has been steady rather than spectacular, but his tactical clarity and communication skills have made him one of Ligue 1’s most respected modernists. His reputation was really forged at Lens. There, he stepped up from a developmental role into senior management and immediately transformed the club’s trajectory. His Lens side became one of Ligue 1’s most dynamic attacking outfits, built on intelligent rotations, aggressive verticality, and a clear identity that maximised a modest budget. These are traits that should suit the challenge at Crystal Palace.
Domestic success fed directly into continental qualification, with Sage guiding Lens into the Champions League. That feat elevated him from promising tactician to one of Europe’s rising managerial profiles. The blend of identity and adaptability is exactly what Palace are banking on now. He’s a coach who has already shown he can build a coherent, competitive side, lift silverware, and navigate the demands of European football.
Players Out
Maxence Lacroix (Chelsea, £52 million)
Brennan Johnson (Everton, swap)
Danny Imray (Wrexham, £5 million)
Players In
Oscar Mingueza (Celta Vigo, free)
Takehiro Tomiyasu (Ajax, free)
Dwight McNeil (Everton, swap)
Crystal Palace’s summer business has been pretty underwhelming. Low‑risk recruitment and two major defensive departures that reshape the spine of the team. The squad that lost Marc Guéhi in January has now seen Maxence Lacroix sold to Chelsea for £52m, removing both starting centre‑backs who anchored last season’s European run. Palace have responded with experience and versatility. Takehiro Tomiyasu arrived on a free to stabilise the back line, while Óscar Mingueza adds a hybrid full‑back/centre‑back profile suited to Sage’s positional play. In attack, the club swapped Brennan Johnson for Dwight McNeil, giving Palace a reliable ball‑carrier and chance‑creator on the left. It’s a window that trims high‑value assets, replaces them with tactical fits, and keeps the squad balanced ahead of a Europa League campaign.
Crystal Palace Premier League Odds
Premier League Winners 500/1
Top 4 Finish 40/1
Top 6 Finish 9/1
Top Half Finish +225
Bottom Half Finish -333
To be Relegated 6/1
To Finish Bottom 33/1
Strengths
This is not a squad overflowing with obvious strengths, but there’s enough individual quality to keep Palace competitive. Jean‑Philippe Mateta remains the key. If they hold onto him again, his proven Premier League goals are priceless for a side that often struggles to convert pressure into points. Ismaïla Sarr offers pace and directness that can stretch defences, while Chris Richards and Jaydee Canvot give Pierre Sage a pair of defenders capable of playing out under pressure. Adam Wharton continues to look like a future England regular, and Muñoz adds energy and unpredictability in the final third.
Individually, those pieces look good enough to keep Palace afloat, especially under a manager who values structure and control. The spine has experience, the wide players have spark, and if Sage can knit it together, Palace have just enough to stay up, though it’s still fine margins.
Weaknesses
Three clear concerns stand out. First, the Europa League. Premier League clubs of Palace’s size often struggle to balance domestic survival with European travel, and this is a step up from the Conference League grind they managed last year. The added midweek load could stretch a squad that already runs thin.
Second, the new‑manager variable. Pierre Sage’s ideas are promising, but transitions are unpredictable; Palace have been through enough tactical resets to know it can go either way.
Third, squad depth. One injury or a major sale , losing Sarr, Mateta, Muñoz, or Wharton , could be fatal. There’s quality in the XI, but not enough insulation beneath it. Palace’s margin for error remains razor‑thin.
Summary and Picks
Prediction: 16th – 44 points
There’s enough here for Palace to survive, but not much more. The Europa League will stretch them, and Pierre Sage’s tactical reset might take time to bed in. The squad’s fine margins mean they’ll need Mateta’s goals and Wharton’s progression just to stay clear of trouble.
Expect a season that feels like a balancing act. There should be flashes of control under Sage, but still reliant on individual moments from Sarr and Muñoz. If they avoid injuries and keep their key men, mid‑table is achievable. If not, they’ll be dragged into the scrap.
The market to be the Eagles top scorer is tighter than I think it should be. Mateta is the obvious favourite, closely followed by Strand-Larsen and Sarr. This really hinges on the French international staying beyond the end of the window, and if he does, +150 is a good price.
Under 46 Points – +100
Top Palace Scorer: Jean-Phillipe Mateta +150
