Following what many consider the pinnacle of the club’s history, Crystal Palace enters 2026 in a slump, plagued by uncertainty.
Since taking over in February 2024, Manager Oliver Glasner has achieved remarkable milestones, including historic FA Cup and Community Shield victories, the club’s inaugural major European competition, and a record points tally in the Premier League.
However, the team closed out 2025 with its third consecutive defeat in the Premier League, falling 1-0 to Tottenham at Selhurst Park, matching their longest league losing streak under Glasner.
Despite the exhausting schedule of eight matches in December amid their dual domestic and European ambitions, Glasner and his players have been hesitant to attribute their decline in form to fatigue.
At the end of the match, Glasner candidly expressed his need for the club to bolster the squad in January, especially after previously voicing concerns about the club’s summer inactivity.
With his contract set to expire at the conclusion of the season, there is additional pressure on the board to act, as Glasner considers his future with the club.
“We need support,” stated Glasner, whose team is currently winless in five matches across all competitions. “We know we are missing key players who contribute to our goals – Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr, and Daichi Kamada,” he shared with BBC Sport.
Reflecting on 2025, he remarked, “It was undoubtedly the best season in Crystal Palace’s history. We’re not far from being able to sustain success; we just need to address the small issues that can keep us competitive.”
Is This a Critical Month for Palace?
The three consecutive league losses match the total setbacks experienced in the first 15 games of the season.
Like their manager, fans are eager to see moves in the transfer window to prevent their strong start from dwindling. Yet, they are also concerned about the broader implications if the board does not adequately support Glasner.
Glasner, whose contract lasts until June 2026, has yet to confirm his long-term commitment and is keen to see the club’s ambitions align with his following a disappointing summer.
Former Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew commented on Sky Sports, “There’s a situation with the manager—he’s clearly indicating he wants more players, but as his contract ends in summer, he’s essential to keeping the team competitive.”
Pardew added about the team’s recent performance: “They seemed out of sorts, lacking energy and spark. Everything looked slow; they’ve fallen into a rut.”
Injuries to key defenders Munoz and Chris Richards, along with Sarr’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations, have further strained a limited squad.
Reinforcements are critical for Glasner, and uncertainty looms over whether captain Marc Guehi will remain for the remainder of the season, as he has indicated he doesn’t plan to sign a new contract and will leave next year.
The 25-year-old England international drew interest from Premier League champions Liverpool over the summer, but Glasner successfully advocated for the board to reject a £35 million bid.
Regarding Guehi’s future, Glasner stated, “Of course, we want to retain everyone.”
BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel noted, “Guehi is likely to stay at Palace until the end of the season before his contract expires. He has numerous options in the summer, with interest from top clubs across Europe.”
“By the end of the season, Liverpool and Manchester City will make their moves—he’s set to leave, and options will be abundant for him.”
What Challenges is Palace Facing?
Following the loss to Spurs, Glasner pointed out Palace’s struggles in attack.
No Premier League team has underperformed their expected goals (xG) metrics more than Crystal Palace this season, as they’ve netted just 21 goals from an xG of 29.4, with star striker Jean Philippe Mateta scoring only once in the last eight league matches.
“We’re consistently failing to convert chances despite creating many; this is not intentional. We need to resolve this,” Glasner remarked. “We create opportunities, but it seems the closer we get to the goal, the more anxious we appear, leading to poor decision-making.”
Further complicating matters, Palace has also struggled defensively, particularly against set-pieces. Remarkably, eight of the last nine goals conceded in all competitions have originated from set pieces, including all seven of the most recent goals.
In contrast, Tottenham leads the league in overperforming their xG, having scored 9.8 goals more than expected based on their xG figures.