Previewing the Premier League
This Saturday, Liverpool faces what could be their most challenging match of the season so far as they travel to London to take on Crystal Palace. Although Palace finished 12th in the league last season, under the management of Oliver Glasner, they have become the reigning FA Cup champions and one of the most improved teams in the Premier League in the past 18 months. This creates significant challenges for league leaders Arne Slot and his squad.
Since taking charge at Palace in February 2024, Glasner has quickly made his mark, with many fans believing he has already surpassed all his predecessors. He not only led the team to an FA Cup victory over Manchester City but also secured a win against Liverpool in the Community Shield. While the latter match is often regarded as a friendly, Palace’s Premier League performances suggest they are poised to disrupt the established order in English football.
As illustrated in the table above, Glasner currently ranks fifth among Premier League managers in terms of points accumulated since he took the reins at Palace. He is on track to surpass Unai Emery this season and holds a significant lead over other notable managers such as Brighton’s Fabian Hürzeler, Tottenham’s Thomas Frank, and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola. Notably, Glasner’s average of 1.53 points per game represents a 25% improvement over his predecessor Roy Hodgson and stands as the best record for any Palace manager in the Premier League era.
Glasner’s success is built on a robust defensive strategy, characterized by a back three comprising Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guéhi, and Chris Richards, bolstered by defensive midfielder Adam Wharton. This setup has made it exceedingly difficult for opponents to score. So far this season, Palace has kept clean sheets against Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Sunderland, conceding only 26 goals over 24 league matches in 2025. Since Glasner’s arrival, Palace’s defensive record shows that they’ve allowed just 67 goals in 56 league matches, a figure surpassed only by Manchester City and Arsenal during this timeframe.
The upcoming fixture against Liverpool promises to be intriguing, as it pits one of the league’s best defensive units against one of its most prolific attacking teams. Crystal Palace’s impressive defensive record contrasts with Liverpool’s remarkable tally of 52 goals in 25 games this season. With Slot’s squad netting 17 goals in their first seven matches, the question remains: can Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and their teammates penetrate Palace’s formidable defense?
