One thing that has been common under the management of Oliver Glasner is that Crystal Palace have hit their best form right at the end of a season.
It happened in 2023/24 in the Austrian’s first half season in the job as Palace ended the campaign unbeaten in seven.
While doing this Palace took down Newcastle 2-0, who were in the Champions League that season, West Ham 5-2, who were in the Europa League, Manchester United 4-0, who had been in the Champions League and Aston Villa 5-0 who had played in the Conference League that year.
Along that run they also beat Liverpool 1-0 and Wolves 3-1 while playing some impressive free flowing football.
Furthermore, between April 2025 and October 2025 Palace went on a club record 19 game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Along the way they secured two trophies with an FA Cup Final victory against Manchester City with Eberechi Eze’s strike seeing the game finish 1-0.
They also took down Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield with Justin Devenny scoring the winning strike.
In the 2025/26 season, Crystal Palace have lost just two of their last 11 games in all competitions after a dismal run of form in the winter period with there is now once again a reason for optimism.
The emergence of Jaydee Canvot
Many at the end of January were sceptical with Crystal Palace’s lack of a Marc Guehi replacement.
The Eagles lost their greatest ever captain to Manchester City in a cut price deal confirmed by Glasner himself of £20million due to his Palace contract expiring in the 2026 summer.
Unsure of whether Oliver Glasner’s successor will utilise a formation with three centre backs, Palace preferred to trust the options already at the club.
The returning Chadi Riad and Jefferson Lerma have played a handful of minutes inside the back three.
But step forward Jaydee Canvot.
Having only played 22 times for Toulouse, at first in the summer many thought his signing would be one for the future as he would only get the occasional game in the first half of this campaign.
Albeit having a mistake in him and being quite raw, Canvot’s confidence appears to have grown as he has showed that he can progressively pass as well as carry the ball.
This was encapsulated through an impressive pre assist in the 3-1 victory away at Tottenham while his carrying and running ability has been shown more in recent games at home to Fiorentina and Newcastle.
Impactful Ismaila Sarr
At first in the 2024/25 season, many thought that Ismaila Sarr would be unable to fill Michael Olise’s boots.
Some believed that a more natural left footer, of a similar profile, should replace Olise with this right ten role being able to cut inside and cause a threat.
However, this has proved no problem for Sarr who last season got 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions.
Those numbers have taken an increase this term with 17 goals and one assist in 12 less games overall due to AFCON and injury.
Only Mikael Ishak and Marius Mouandilmadji have more than his seven Conference League goals.
The Senegalese international has proven he is a player ready to step up and make an impact in a big game with goals away at Brighton this season and last as well as his goals at Wembley against Aston Villa and Liverpool.
He will need to keep his form up in the next weeks if Crystal Palace are to win European silverware and qualify for the Europa League.
Winning back the fans
In the January window, it looked like Jean-Philippe Mateta would join Guehi in departing the club.
The French striker submitted a transfer request and even unfollowed the Eagles on Instagram.
However, due to an injury Mateta failed his deadline day medical with AC Milan and would remain in South London at least until the end of the season.
While he didn’t have surgery, he was sidelined until mid-March.
At first upon his return, fans were not happy with some boos. Even with Mateta remaining in London, Palace signed a new striker in Jorgen Strand Larsen for £48 million from Wolves.
But due to Strand Larsen being suspended, Mateta would make his first start against Fiorentina in the Conference League quarter-final first leg since January.
He has since scored three in three with a double off the bench against Newcastle to inspire a comeback victory that delighted the Selhurst Park faithful and has seemingly got Selhurst Park booming again.
Oliver Glasner too earned some critics after revealing he was going to be leaving the club at the end of his contract in January, he also came out advising the Palace fans to stay humble and to remember where they came from.
Some doubted him believing he had lost the dressing room or thinking that it was a questionable decision to reveal his departure in the middle of the season the day before a game.
However, Palace have been putting in some better displays in recent weeks such as Tottenham away and Fiorentina and Newcastle at home.
Fans now have reason again to be confident as some believed relegation could have been a possibility.
A European Cup semi final awaits against Shakhtar Donetsk with a potential trip to Leipzig if Palace can better the Ukrainian side over 180 minutes.
Although the Conference League may be the priority, Palace are only six points off the top six with seven league games to go.