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

## Our Senegalese Sarr

> Ismaïla Sarr became the club’s third signing of the 2024/25 summer transfer window after joining on a five-year deal from Olympique de Marseille.

The 26-year-old attacker possesses plenty of experience of English football, having spent four years at Watford – recording 34 goals and 22 assists in 131 games – prior to joining Marseille, whom he helped reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League last season.

Sarr's career began in French football with Metz, before moving to Rennes and leading the club into Europe, as well as winning their first Coupe de France in almost half a century.

At international level, he has been a mainstay of the Senegal national side, earning 64 caps, scoring 13 goals and winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021.

His career has also been defined by his eye for the spectacular, having won Goal of the Season awards in both the Football League and the Europa League.

Sarr was ever-present in every Premier League matchday squad in his first season at the club, playing in all 38 games, while also featuring in a further nine cup games. He scored 11 goals across all competitions, with eight additional assists - including a stunning effort against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion and a brace against Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final.

2022/23, Watford (v West Bromwich Albion)

EFL Goal of the Season

Watford, 2020/21

Player of the Season

Players' Player of the Season

2018/19, Rennes (v Jablonec)

UEFA Europa League Goal of the Season

December 2024

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Sarr

Instagram

Appearances

Goals

Ismaïla Sarr Returns From AFCON

Pre-match Press Conference | RC Strasbourg (A)

Extended Highlights: Crystal Palace 3-1 AZ Alkmaar | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Crystal Palace v AZ Alkmaar | Palace TV+

Sarr wins October's Goal of the Month

Match Highlights: Crystal Palace 3-1 AZ Alkmaar

Goal of the month contenders | October 2025

Extended Highlights: Liverpool 0-3 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Match Action: Liverpool 0-3 Crystal Palace

Extended Highlights: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Crystal Palace v Liverpool | Palace TV+

Match Highlights: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool

Goal of the month contenders | August 2025

Extended Highlights: Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

Recoveries

Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

The Eagles go into Sunday's match against their traditional rivals without a win in 12 matches in all competitions – but bolstered by returning players; fresh faces in Jørgen Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand; and improved performances in their recent outings.

Now, with a trip to the Amex Stadium on the horizon this Sunday (8th February, 14:00 GMT), Glasner spoke in his pre-match press conference about the positive mood at the Palace training ground, ahead of a traditionally big fixture for the club.

**Read on below for the key talking points!**

- [**Read Glasner's pre-match team news update here**](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/first-team/team-news-glasners-pre-brighton-update-on-new-arrivals-returning-players/)**.**
- [**How to watch & follow Sunday's game**](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/information/tv-information-how-to-follow-brighton-v-crystal-palace/)**.**

Pre-Match Press Conference Brighton (A)

#### On turning results around...

For us, it's pressing the reset button.

With all the results, we were not really pleased. Daichi Kamada is back and trained the full week – he will be available for the Brighton game – and really, it feels like a new team, with three new players coming in, and now it's really to start.

I told the players at the beginning of this week, because this group of players will now be together until the end of the season, it feels a little bit the mood around the club is not the best one, to be honest.

Last year, at the same stage of the season, we had one point more in the Premier League, and even the goal difference was more or less the same, so it was 28 (for) 30 (against), and now we have 25-29, so it's very, very similar.

Last year's season is praised, because it was the best-ever season in Crystal Palace history, so now we are one point behind. We are still in one cup competition – not in the FA Cup, so blame on me, but not in the FA Cup – but in the Conference League.

So same situation, and now it's our job, the team's job, to make the best of it, and get the turnaround to finish the season as good as last year.

#### On the positive mood in training…

It’s good. Very positive. Very good.

I mentioned last year, I remember when we had the worst start in Crystal Palace history in the Premier League. There were three points in the first eight games, and as I told you then, if you come to the training ground, you would feel we are top four in the Premier League table.

I think no one is able to show his best performance when he is in a bad mood. I think it's just not possible. Maybe you can have a little bit of being a little bit angry or something, but you need positivity, you need confidence, you need a kind of belief. And this is what, of course, the new players brought in, what players coming back from injuries brought back into the team.

It gives the players a sense of, hey, we have more and more options, because everybody could see the last game, we had one attacker on the bench with \[Christantus\] Uche from our squad. To get to have an impact during a game, it's just really tough.

The players, they are not stupid, they know the situation. And now, with Jørgen available, with Evann, with Daichi Kamada available, with Adam Wharton back after the suspension, this gives us confidence.

And even there, I think in the first-half, we were better than Nottingham \[Forest\]. And with these players, and now working on the pitch, we have a very huge confidence that we will do better and better in the next weeks.

#### On the incentive of facing rivals Brighton…

I think we don't need this incentive right now. Yes, we know these two games \[against Brighton\] are the most important for our fans. They are the most important ones for us as well, but for us it's \[about\] getting this turnaround.

It looks like now we are able to play 45, 60 minutes really well, but we missed the consistency over 90, 95, 100 minutes. And if things during a game don't go how we want, how we expect it, we lose the confidence, and this was seen in the second-half against Nottingham.

Again, we played a great first-half. And with the red card \[for Forest\], ‘we need to win now. It's time to win.’ The longer the game lasted and we didn't have the lead, the more nervous everybody got, and we made just some things we would never do, but it was a little bit too much. 

This is to stay calm, and this is now important, playing our football the whole game without getting nervous. If we are 1-0 up or 1-0 down, it's still a draw. We've shown that we can score. We've shown that we are, even now without Marc \[Guéhi\], they had two finishes in the first half, at Nottingham away – we can defend really well.

And for this confidence, we need results. You can talk about everything. You need it. You need this win. A striker, he needs a goal. You can train, you can talk, but you need this moment.

We will really give our best to get this moment at Brighton.

Access All Over: Brighton (A)

#### On his own record against Brighton: two wins and a draw…

It was a great win last year there – the 3-1 \[with goals for Palace from Trevoh Chalobah and and an Ismaïla Sarr brace\]. It was their first home defeat after many months.

Tough game. Good first-half, quick lead, huge pressure in the second-half, great Dean Henderson, a few big saves. And then also we had, I remember, made two subs, JP and Eberechi \[Eze\] off, and Daichi Kamada and Eddie Nketiah on, and we got the game under control and scored the third goal.

That's what I'm talking about, impact from the bench. There was freshness, there was new energy when the legs were getting tired, and this was a huge impact from the bench players to get this 3-0 and then the game was decided.

At home \[a 2-1 win for Palace\], I remember, it was our two red cards, but a great day for all of us.

But on the other side, the last game, the 0-0 at Selhurst \[in November\], it just showed that I expect a very tight game. Small margins will decide it. I think they had one or two chances. A penalty was taken back by the VAR. And we missed one or two chances, they missed one or two, and then it's 0-0.

Who will be more efficient? This team will win.

#### On Jørgen Stand Larsen’s potential in a Palace shirt…

\[He needs to\] be himself. I'm pretty sure that we will get him and get the ball into the right areas where he will be able to score.

I don't expect him dribbling like Lionel Messi and scoring from 30 yards. his strength is in the box. We need to feed him with crosses, we need to feed him with passes into these areas, then he will be there and then he will score.

It's all a team effort, and this is exactly what I always explained when JP scored his goals. He had a big chance against Chelsea from the press.

It won't be perfect now, because we just started this week, and he had an individual video session with my assistants, and it’s important also not to do too much and to overload him.

Just play with his strengths. That will be the advice, and then he will have one, two, three chances and hopefully score one or two goals.

#### Match Details

**Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace**

- Sunday, 8th February
- 14:00 GMT
- Premier League
- Amex Stadium
- [Live audio commentary on Palace TV+.](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/supporters/palace-tv-plus/)

Oliver Glasner says Crystal Palace must put aside their recent difficult form and start anew, with plenty of players returning to their squad and three January transfer window arrivals, ahead of Sunday's trip to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Glasner on pressing the reset button ahead of Brighton

Brighton and Hove Albion v Crystal Palace (2026-02-08)

Crystal Palace

Premier League

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Brighton and Hove Albion

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### **Factfile**

- **Manager**: Fabian Hürzeler
- **League Position:** 13th
- **Ground:** Amex Stadium
- **Founded:** 1901

### **In their manager's words...**

Speaking ahead of Sunday's meeting between the two rival sides, with Brighton having lost the lead in both their last two Premier League matches, **Hürzeler** said: "We won't change anything regarding our approach.

"I said it after the last game, it's about managing the key moments of the game better in certain moments because I think in the last two games it has cost us points.

"We analysed it and we definitely have to do better. And I take the responsibility for that, it’s something that we need to improve.

"But overall, our approach will be the same. We will try to win this game for our supporters. We know the meaning of the game, that it's a big one for the club and for everyone. We see it as a big opportunity to bounce back and to stop this negative run.

"We're looking forward to this game and this challenge. And we are ready for it."

Sunday's clash sees two teams struggling for form go head-to-head at Amex Stadium, with **Hürzeler** saying of Brighton's run of one win in their last 11 league matches: "I think it's very important to stay calm, to stay predictable for everyone and make sure that we don't get too many highs and too many lows.

"When things are not going well I think it's very important that I set the tone, I set the messaging during the week and the message is that we are on the right way. But we know we have to manage the key moments better to get the results.

"That's something we have to do better, but overall we stay calm and I stay calm. I will take ownership. I'm not hiding, I'm happy facing these kinds of adversities as I think it'll make me grow as a person and as a coach. I will take the ownership and I'm quite convinced that at the end of the season we will be where we want to be.

"We have a really good group of characters who are honest with each other and they are frustrated and disappointed, but I don’t think it takes long that before they are positive and looking forward to the next game because we can't change the past. We have to focus on the next opportunity.

"The players hold each other accountable. They see the situations in the right way. They have the right perspective and the main thing is they work hard, they show the right effort in training, they show the right reactions … and we all quite convinced that, in the end, if you keep working hard, if you keep sticking to our principles then you will get the rewards for that."

### **Brighton Team News**

Long-term absentees **Solly March**, **Adam Webster** and **Stefanos Tzimas** remain sidelined for Brighton – but forward **Diego Gomez** is back in action.

"Diego Gomez will be back," Hürzeler noted. "He will be an option. **Mats Wieffer** is close. 

"**Yasin Ayari** is unfortunately out for the game. After his fall in the Everton game he suffered a small shoulder issue. It’s nothing big but he won’t be available for this game."

Should **James Milner** play on Sunday, he will equal the all-time Premier League appearance record of 653 appearances, alongside Gareth Barry.

### **Their season so far…**

Albion come into the game one point and one place below Palace in 10th. They had a lukewarm start to 2025/26, failing to win any of their first five league games. 

But an impressive win at Stamford Bridge at the end of September appeared to ignite their season, and they embarked on a run of five wins in seven up to November to propel themselves up to fifth place.

Since then, however, it has been a significantly more frustrating time for Hürzeler's side – just one win in their last 11 league matches, against relegation-threatened Burnley at home, albeit with six draws and an FA Cup victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford also in that sequence.

Adding to their recent frustrations, Brighton have won just one of their last four Premier League matches when going ahead, having gone on to win nine of their previous 11 such occasions (drawing the other two). 

Their latest draw was particularly painful, as a 97th-minute equaliser from Everton’s Beto denied Brighton all three points in dramatic fashion last weekend.

Match Action: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 Crystal Palace

Like Palace, it has been a challenging winter: since the start of December, only Wolves (six) and Burnley (five) have won fewer points in the Premier League than ourselves and Brighton (9 each).

A meeting of two traditional rivals needs no greater incentive – but both the Eagles and Seagulls have plenty more to play for than just the three points on Sunday.

#### **The Boss: Fabian Hürzeler**

The youngest ever manager to be appointed a full-time boss of a Premier League club, Hurzeler is guaranteed to wear his heart on his sleeve and has proved a hit the supporters since arriving on the south coast in June 2024 – albeit the first real testing run of results having come recently.

In his first season in charge the German led his attack-minded team to eighth place in the Premier League and an FA Cup quarter-final. They also scored 66 goals along the way – the joint fifth-highest in the division

He had previously managed at St Pauli, leading them to the Bundesliga 2 in 2023/24, after winning 20 of their 34 league fixtures.

### **Stat Attack**

- Palace have lost just two of our last 13 Premier League games against Brighton (four wins, seven draws), though both defeats in that time were at Amex Stadium.
- We have also won two of our last three Premier League games against Brighton (one draw), as many as we had in the previous 12 (six draws, four defeats).
- Brighton have gone ahead but failed to win in each of their last two (D1 L1), never previously doing so in three in a row in the Premier League.
- Only Jean-Philippe Mateta (10) has more goals in all competitions for Palace in 2025/26 than Ismaïla Sarr (nine) – the Senegal forward also scored two and assisted another on his last appearance at the Amex in December 2024 in a 3-1 Palace win.
- Brighton’s James Milner could equal Gareth Barry’s Premier League record for appearances in this game, with Milner one behind Barry’s 653-game total. Although they would be level for games played, Milner has played 14,031 fewer minutes in the competition currently than Barry clocked up in his 653 games.

First Look | Jørgen Strand Larsen 

### Match Details

**Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace**

- Sunday, 8th February
- 14:00 GMT
- Premier League
- Amex Stadium
- [Live audio commentary on Palace TV+.](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/supporters/palace-tv-plus/)

Crystal Palace face traditional rivals Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium this Sunday (8th February, 14:00 GMT). Here’s what Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler had to say ahead of the meeting… 

View from the Opposition: Fabian Hürzeler on the meaning of Sunday's match

The Manager told his pre-match press conference that new signings **Jørgen Strand Larsen** and **Evann Guessand** have both been fit and firing in training this week, noting: “He \[Strand Larsen\] has a similar profile to JP \[Mateta\] – we wanted a tall, physical No. 9 with strength in the box, scoring goals, good at heading, and a great mentality, great character – that’s why we tried to sign him. We trust in him.

“We’re always looking at the profiles and the character of the player, and Jørgen shows both – that’s why we had a huge effort to get him into the building. He's shown it this week in training. He’s hungry to score goals, and of course he needs to get the ball in the right areas, but he has this feeling where to move in the box – he’s scored a few nice goals this week.

“We’ve Evann Guessand in, first week of training with us, **Brennan \[Johnson\]** arrived a few weeks ago – now, for us, it's pressing the reset button.

"Daichi Kamada is back and trained the full week – he will be available for the Brighton game – and really, it feels like a new team, with three new players coming in, and now it's really to start."

On other team news, Glasner updated: “**Borna Sosa** is back, as I mentioned Daichi is back \[both from injury\], and **Adam Wharton** is back \[from a one-match suspension\].

“**Justin Devenny** is close – maybe Sunday’s too early, but for the Burnley game on Wednesday, he should be fine.

“The only ones are **Cheick Doucouré** – there’s still a long way to go for him – and **Eddie Nketiah** is not ready, but all others are back and available.”

Glasner also confirmed that striker **Jean-Philippe Mateta** would not feature in either match in the coming week, noting: “He won’t play on Sunday at Brighton, and he won’t play against Burnley.

"We want now a final decision how to manage his knee, what we have to do, what we should do.

“As everybody can imagine, it’s a tricky situation for everyone – for him, for everyone at the club – but at the end, if the decision will be taken that we manage his knee until the end of the season, he will be back in the squad.

“If he doesn’t undergo surgery and the knee is okay, he will start training with us and he will get integrated, and then he has to fight for his position like everyone else, but this is what he knows and he’s fine with it.”

#### Match Details

**Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace**

- Sunday, 8th February
- 14:00 GMT
- Premier League
- Amex Stadium
- [Live audio commentary on Palace TV+.](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/supporters/palace-tv-plus/)

Oliver Glasner is anticipating that a number of returning players – as well as two potential debutants – will be in the matchday squad for Sunday’s trip to rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

Team News: Glasner’s pre-Brighton update on new arrivals & returning players

First-team

First-team

Glasner on pressing the reset button ahead of Brighton

View from the Opposition: Fabian Hürzeler on the meaning of Sunday's match

Team News: Glasner’s pre-Brighton update on new arrivals & returning players

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First-team

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Glasner on pressing the reset button ahead of Brighton

View from the Opposition: Fabian Hürzeler on the meaning of Sunday's match

Team News: Glasner’s pre-Brighton update on new arrivals & returning players

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