Crystal Palace FC's first-ever major European adventure is underway, as we battle to win the UEFA Conference League. Find out how you can join us on our journey.

European Tour

## Southbound

> Widely regarded as one of his country's finest goalkeepers, Dean Henderson signed for Crystal Palace in August 2023 after 12 years at boyhood club Manchester United.

The then 26-year-old England international signed a five-year contract with the club, becoming Palace’s third senior arrival of the 2023 summer transfer window alongside Jefferson Lerma and Matheus França, and made his Premier League debut for the club away at Manchester City in December as the Eagles fought back from two goals down.

Like many goalkeepers before him, Henderson started as an outfield player, on the books of Carlisle United as a schoolboy.

He wasn’t just a footballer, however, and was an accomplished enough cricketer to be noticed at county level as a wicket keeper.

Joining Manchester United as a 14-year-old, Henderson quickly rose through the ranks and was soon the Under-18s regular goalkeeper, earning a nomination for the club’s prestigious Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.

He began to gain experience out on loan, joining first Stockport County in non-league and then Grimsby Town in League Two, before being recalled to provide cover for Manchester United’s injury crisis.

A full season with Shrewsbury Town saw his reputation sky-rocket, and he began to feature for England’s Under-21s side while earning a place in the PFA League One Team of the Year.

Henderson’s move to Sheffield United on loan in 2018/19 saw the Blades secure a first promotion to the Premier League since 2007, and the ‘keeper shone.

He scooped the Championship Golden Glove award (keeping 20 clean sheets), the Blades' Young Player of the Year award and the Community Player of the Year award, for his work in the local area.

It was during this season that Henderson was also called up to the senior England squad for the first time in October 2019.

Returning to Sheffield United a year later, he won the Young Player of the Year award once again, keeping 11 clean sheets as the Yorkshire side earned a historic top-half Premier League finish.

And he also made the next step up internationally, coming on at half-time for his senior Three Lions debut when he replaced Nick Pope in a 3-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in a November 2020 friendly.

After his stellar performances on loan, Henderson returned to his parent club and began to compete with David De Gea for the No. 1 spot.

He made his senior debut in the League Cup in September 2020 before making his Champions League debut just over a month later. His Premier League bow for the Red Devils came against Southampton in November as a replacement for the injured Spaniard.

Henderson made the No. 1 spot his own in De Gea’s absence, playing 13 Premier League games and making 26 appearances overall during the 2020/21 campaign.

However, De Gea’s return saw his first-team opportunities limited, and so another loan beckoned – this time to Nottingham Forest, where Henderson impressed once again before injury curtailed his 2022/23 season.

Now, in south London, Henderson had to wait for his chance to make his debut between the sticks as his friend and fellow England teammate Sam Johnstone impressed early on in 2023/24. Ironically, Henderson's debut came against his boyhood club Man Utd in the Carabao Cup.

He lasted only 20 minutes at Old Trafford due to a hamstring injury, however he returned to make his Premier League debut a few months later - also in Manchester, albeit against the sky blue half at the Etihad.

His first season in red and blue concluded with 19 appearances in all competitions, with five clean sheets to boot. Henderson's performances in the latter part of the campaign earned him a spot in the senior England squad which finished runners-up in the 2024 UEFA European Championship.

In 2024/25, Henderson took the No. 1 jersey and made it his own - playing in every single minute of every game in the Premier League. He also played three games in the FA Cup and kept three clean sheets, including one in the final against Manchester City.

Henderson was named Player of the Match for his heroics in the FA Cup final, where he produced save after save and even stopped Omar Marmoush's spot-kick.

League One, 2017/18

PFA Team of the Year

Sheffield United, 2018/19 & 2019/20

Young Player of the Year

Sheffield United, 2018/19

Community Player of the Year

September 2024

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

2018/19

EFL Championship Golden Glove

Henderson

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Appearances

Clean sheets

The Art of Waiting | An FA Cup Winners Exhibition

Henderson on resilient win

Best of Dean Henderson | Aston Villa (A)

Henderson praises team effort

Pre-Match press conference: Fredrikstad (H)

Best of Dean Henderson | Community Shield

Henderson talks through penalty shoot-out

Henderson, Wharton, Benítez & Matthews Go Golfing

CCTV | Internationals Return

Best of Dean Henderson 24/25

Access All Over | FA Cup Final

FA Cup Final | Dean Henderson | Every Save

FA Cup Final | Dean Henderson | Post Match Interview

Henderson's thoughts on home draw

Dean Henderson Interview

Catches

Punches

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Touches

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

### Summary:

- Two changes for Palace from previous Premier League XI: Lerma and Richards return.
- Riad in first senior squad for just over a year; Imray makes the squad for first time.
- **7:** Pino’s reverse pass finds Mateta in space, but his dinked finish is stopped by Roefs.
- **23:** Brobbey slices wide on his weaker foot, after the ball ricochets into his path.
- **28:** Hume heads wide from a Sunderland corner after the hosts launch aerial assault.
- **30 – GOAL:** Pino reacts sharply to Roefs’ poor punch to loop a floated finish into the top corner.
- **33 – Goal:** Le Fee equalises immediately with a placed finish from Mukiele’s pull-back.
- **43:** Mitchell heads wide from close range after strong hold-up play by Mateta.
- **HT: Sunderland 1-1 Palace**
- **48:** Pino’s whipped free-kick from a tight angle lands on the roof of the net.
- **65:** Palace defend their box well as Sunderland attempt cross after cross.
- **71 – Goal:** Brobbey improvises to fashion a finish for Sunderland from a loose ball.
- **76:** Henderson makes excellent one-handed save from Le Fee to keep the Eagles in it.
- **90:** The ‘keeper makes a late double save from Mayenda and Ballard.
- **FT: Sunderland 2-1 Palace**

The Eagles made two changes to our Premier League starting XI on Wearside: Chris Richards and Jefferson Lerma replaced Marc Guéhi and Jaydee Canvot, with Dean Henderson handed the captain’s armband.

There were a pair of positives to celebrate among Palace’s substitutes, with 22-year-old full-back Danny Imray – recalled from Blackpool – making his first senior matchday squad for Palace, and Chadi Riad – on the road back from long-term injury – named in the squad for the first time in just over a year.

With just one defeat in their previous seven in all competitions, Sunderland came into the contest full of confidence, and soon mounted a succession of aerial attacks on the Palace box, putting high balls into dangerous areas whenever they could.

But Palace were getting into promising positions too and, after just seven minutes, Pino received the ball high up the pitch and played a cute reverse pass into the path of Jean-Philippe Mateta.

With just the ‘keeper to beat, Mateta dinked it over Robin Roefs – but the Sunderland man’s strong hand took the pace off the ball, and a covering defender was able to clear.

The opening quarter proved entertaining enough, if light on clear chances – setting the tone for a largely scrappy game.

That almost benefitted Sunderland on 23 minutes after a pull-back took a fortuitous deflection into the path of Brian Brobbey, but the Sunderland No. 9 made a hash of his left-footed finish inside the six-yard box.

Minutes later, Sunderland’s recent proficiency from set-pieces came to the fore when Trai Hume headed wide from a corner wide, six yards out.

Then, on the half-hour mark, Palace took the lead – Pino’s fifth goal of the season an impressive piece of improvisation.

Winning a corner themselves, Will Hughes put in an in-swinging cross which Roefs – under pressure from Richards – could only punch into a central area. Pino, racing onto it, adjusted his stride and, cutely, looped a half-volley beyond the goalkeeper and into the top corner.

Sadly, the lead would last just three minutes. A triangle of quick passes on the halfway line sent Nordi Mukiele running down Sunderland’s right wing, and his low pull-back – left by Brobbey – found Enzo Le Fee in space to place home a sweeping low finish.

The two teams continued to give as good as they got – and Palace came within inches of taking the lead on the stroke of half-time after fine hold-up play, and an accurate delivery, from Mateta out wide.

Mitchell, sprinting to meet it in the six-yard box, stooped to make the header; he nodded narrowly wide of the target.

Palace continued to threaten early in the second-half and Pino – having won a free-kick from Hume with a fine piece of footwork – whipped a clever shot towards the far corner from a tight angle. It wasn’t far away, but landed on the roof of the net.

As the second-half wore on, and the bookings mounted for both sides in a combative contest, Sunderland looked the more likely team to score next.

So the case proved with 20 minutes remaining. Noah Sadiki’s deflected through ball fell fortuitously into the stride of Brobbey, and the Sunderland forward adjusted well to lift it in off the underside of the bar from a tight angle.

Palace continued to press forwards in search of an equaliser, but the better chances late on were Sunderland’s, with Henderson showing impressive reflexes to deny all three of Le Fee, Eliezer Mayenda and Dan Ballard in the closing stages.

Nevertheless, it was Sunderland who took all three points on Wearside.

**Sunderland:** Roefs (GK), Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fée, Mundle (Cirkin, 88), Brobbey (Mayenda, 84).

**Subs:** Patterson (GK), O’Nien, Geertruida, Rigg, Neil, Isidor, Adingra.

**Palace:** Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Lerma, Devenny, Hughes, Wharton, Mitchell, Johnson, Pino, Mateta.

**Subs:** Benítez (GK), Matthews (GK), Canvot, Riad, Sosa, Imray, Rodney, Drakes-Thomas, Uche.

### As It Happened

Crystal Palace suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

Report: Palace beaten away at Sunderland

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Crystal Palace slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon; a matchday gallery can be found below.

Matchday Gallery: Sunderland v Palace

### Summary:

**Ladd earns her first start for the club, whilst there is a return to the matchday squad for Vanhaevermaet**

- **6: Reiten crosses in a dangerous ball, but the Palace defence manage to deflect it behind for a corner**
- **13: GOAL - Bright nods in from a dangerous Cuthbert free-kick**
- **22: GOAL - Palace giveaway leads to Kerr firing low into the bottom corner**
- **29: GOAL - Reiten scores from the spot after Sharpe was adjudged to have fouled in the box**
- **34: Rytting Kaneryd flashes her effort wide of the left post**
- **45: Good stop from Yañez denies Cuthbert**
- **HT: Chelsea 3 - 0 Palace**
- **51: GOAL - Kerr nods in from a good cross** 
- **53: Fancy footwork from Weerden leads to a good strike from Palace's number 11, but Hampton manages to save**
- **70: GOAL - Yañez saves superbly but Thompson converts the rebound**
- **FT: Chelsea 5 - 0 Palace**

It was a spirited display against the Blues, but the reigning Women's Super League and Women's FA Cup Champions proved too strong for Jo Potter's side.

Chelsea took the lead in the 13th minute, after Millie Bright headed home from a dangerous Erin Cuthbert free-kick, before Sam Kerr doubled home advantage on 22 minutes.

Seven minutes later and the hosts had a penalty, after Molly-Mae Sharpe was adjudged to have fouled Guro Reiten in the box.

Reiten stepped up and converted her spot-kick, putting Chelsea into a 3-0 lead at the break.

Kerr extended Chelsea's lead just six minutes into the break, nodding into the bottom right corner from Reiten's left side delivery.

Shae Yañez pulled off a super stop to deny Sjoeke Nusken's effort on 70 minutes, but Chelsea's £1m summer signing Alyssa Thompson was on hand to tap home the rebound.

It ended 5-0 in South-West London as Chelsea's WSL quality told in the end.

Jo Potter's side will now turn their focus solely to the Barclays Women's Super League 2, where they take on Durham at home next.

**Kicking off at 12:00 GMT at the VBS Community Stadium, you can secure your place by clicking the button below!**

Buy Durham tickets here!

**Chelsea:** Hampton (GK), Bright, Buurman, Curthbert, James (Nusken, 45), Reiten, Thompson, Girma (Bronze,45) Kaptein (Potter, 61) Rytting Kaneyrd, Kerr (Carpenter, 61)

Subs not used: Peng (GK), Spencer (GK), Baltimore, Sarwie, Shooter

**Palace:** Yañez (GK), Napier, Arthur (Howat, 63) Cato, Everett, Sharpe (Riley, 78), Weerden (Sibley, 90), Nolan, Ladd, Blanchard, Larkin (Hughes, 78)

Subs not used: Annets (GK), Browne (GK), Vanhaevermaet, Brady

Crystal Palace's Adobe Women's FA Cup journey came to end, as they lost 5-0 away at holders Chelsea.

Report: Palace Women bow out of FA Cup at holders Chelsea

Chelsea Women v Crystal Palace Women (2026-01-17)

Match reports

Match reports

Report: Palace beaten away at Sunderland

Matchday Gallery: Sunderland v Palace

Report: Palace Women bow out of FA Cup at holders Chelsea

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Henderson

Match reports

Match reports

Report: Palace beaten away at Sunderland

Matchday Gallery: Sunderland v Palace

Report: Palace Women bow out of FA Cup at holders Chelsea

Shop Palace Shirts

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