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)

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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

**As incisive in his insight as he is in his progressive passing, the midfielder is often hailed as a rare breed of English midfielder. But his evolution into one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers has hailed from a wide range of influences, all of which stand him in good stead for a huge 2026 ahead for both club and, all being well, country…**

*This interview was initially published in the Crystal Palace v Fulham programme in January 2026 - you can [**buy issues of the matchday programme by clicking HERE**](https://shop.cpfc.co.uk/giftssouvenirs/souvenirs/programmes/).*

Un the great pantheon of footballing clichés, the term ‘football intelligence’ has become increasingly widespread. 

You can understand why. When the Premier League is more competitive than ever before – even now, a month after this feature was first written, there are still just seven points between the Champions League places and the bottom half – any small advantage could hold the difference between a vital, season-defining victory or a difficult, downtrodden defeat. 

It is safe to assert that Adam Wharton, in his now-two years as a Premier League player, has established himself as one of the division’s standout midfielders. His numbers are incredibly impressive – but, more importantly, so too is his ability to assert himself on any contest, which instinctively must derive from a deeper understanding of the game.

Is that from rewatching his performances, seeking those minor improvements? “I’m not like ‘I have to watch them’, but I think it’s good to,” he explains. 

“That way, you can see a lot more than what you see on the pitch at the time. Everything’s a lot clearer – and then, you can use it for future reference.

When I was at Blackburn, coming through the academy, you had to do that analysis as part of your scholarship

"When I was at Blackburn, coming through the academy, you had to do that analysis as part of your scholarship. For every game, you had to create clips and then send them to the manager, just to show them your understanding of the game, and obviously to try and help you develop.

“That probably helped me a lot – and over time, it just became a habit for me, I guess.”

Little coincidence, then, that Wharton is often his teammates’ choice for ‘Analyst’ in our ‘staff selection’ section of the matchday programme.

“They probably say that because in the analysis sessions, I answer quite a few of the questions,” he laughs. “It makes sense to put me in there.”

Footballing statistics are everywhere in these halcyon days for the fan of the footballing acronym. But in an age of occasional over-information, how does Wharton ensure he takes on board the right information? 

'Pre-orientation' is one of his sharpest skills during matches – but outside of them, how does he like to receive the messages that help him sharpen his footballing brain? Is it better to be coached in an analysis session, or out on the training pitch?

“I think a bit of both,” he reasons. “It’s good to get feedback on the pitch, because then when you start playing again, you can try it straight away.

“But it’s also good if you’re watching back a video and the Manager says something, because you can see proof of it right in front of you. It becomes clear straight away that whatever he’s trying to say to you, it can happen, and he can prove it to you. 

“A little mix of a bit of everything is good. If you’re always getting information on the pitch, you might then try it, it might not come off, and then you might not believe it for yourself. But if you see it on the video too, then you can see it works. 

“The Manager just gives us little bits here and there. In training sessions, after a passage of play, he might go up to you and speak to you after spotting little adjustments, maybe being five yards this way, five yards that way, or your body shape… just little things like that. 

“Then, you just keep adding them to your game, it builds up, and you become better over time. It’s all about little things here and there.”

The contrast of a marginal, more academic approach with the fast-paced nature of today’s game – just take a look at the fixture schedule for Palace around winter, and indeed in February – is an interesting one. 

But it a methodology true to Wharton’s character: an intelligent, critical thinker who, as a schoolboy, got 10 GCSEs, including A-star grades in maths and computer science. 

Indeed, his coach at Moorland School, Charlie Jackson, recently told reporters: “Adam is something special. He really is going to be world-class. He has bags of God-given talent, but he’s a bright man too – excellent at maths and science, but great to be around. He is the definition of a role model.”

I think it was all just an accumulation of football, football, football

How’s that for a glowing report card? “I have no idea!” he laughs.

"Moorland had a partnership with Blackburn and gave us extra football lessons. I think I was quite smart generally in school… but I didn’t enjoy it!

“But I guess that sort of helped me understand football. And then, obviously growing up with two older brothers playing football… 

"I think it was all just an accumulation of football, football, football.”

The ability to analyse, partition and break things down is the core requirement of science, maths and analysis. But in the moments where his brain needs to slow down after a game, the challenge is the opposite: to switch off. 

Those following him on social media will know his talent for video clipping often comes to the fore – but in his downtime, Wharton generally takes things slow.

He explains: “I just like to relax, maybe go for some food, go to cinema every now and then… I like just watching a movie at home, just to chill.” 

Any recent recommendations? “I’ve not been able to go too much recently - I’ve been quite busy,” he points out – a fair reference to the aforementioned fixture calendar. 

“But there was one which was alright… it was with Leonardo DiCaprio… *One Battle After Another*!” Again: a fair descriptor of the aforementioned fixture calendar? “And I think the new *Avatar* has come out, so I’ll be seeing that soon...”

There has never been a more varied time to be a Crystal Palace player: frequent Wembley visits, trophy celebrations and competitive European fixtures are not exactly littered throughout the club’s broader history. 

But Wharton is taking all of these new challenges in his stride – and, crucially, harnessing them as further opportunities to improve. 

In Europe, I’ve found you’re playing a completely different way of football

“In Europe, I’ve found you’re playing a completely different way of football,” he explains. “In the Premier League, the games are very tough. We have a lot less possession than in Europe.

“But in the Conference League, you’ve got teams who will just sit back the whole game and try and be compact and difficult, which is what we sometimes do in the Premier League against the so-called ‘bigger teams.’ 

“In Europe, we’re finding we have more possession, so it’s about us breaking them down. You’ve got some teams who are very physical and kicking it long and trying to make it a tough battle.

“It’s just a mix of all different types of football, whereas the Premier League is more football-based in terms of on the ball. You’ve obviously still got to have possession, but every team has technical players all over the pitch who can deal with the ball comfortably, whereas in Europe you’ve got a bit of a mix of everything. 

“Of course, sometimes you’re tired, or you’re playing on different pitches. You might not think that makes a difference, but it does. 

“For us, it’s just about adapting and playing a different style of football. It’s good for us to have these matches to see where we are compared to where we want to be."

How potent is Palace’s usual style of play, then, in continental competition? “I think we can use our strengths as a weapon because the intensity is so high in the Premier League.

“If we can keep that intensity up, I think some European teams – maybe where their leagues aren’t as intense – will struggle if they’re not used to it. At the same time, sometimes the teams we’ll come up against will work against that intensity. 

“Every team is different. If you’ve got a plan to play against them, and if we’re on it, we know we can beat any team. It’s just about maintaining the level when we’re playing every three days.”

There-in lies possibly the biggest change at Palace this season – the increased physical, but also mental, demands, of fighting on multiple fronts. 

But at the same time, when speaking to a young player as cerebral as Wharton, and having seen for ourselves the Eagles’ propensity for bouncing back from difficult moments in matches – who would have foreseen an FA Cup victory and record Premier League points total coming, given our winless start to last season? – you can simply never rule this group out.

In that moment, it’s just about keeping your head up

“We know how good of a team we are when we’re playing at our best,” Wharton says. “If we go one goal down, we’ve still got the belief that we’re going to create the chances, and we’re going to create the moments to score a goal.

“I think the Manager also instilled in us that we always keep going until the end. You saw that against Liverpool at the start of the season where, after they equalised late on, we went on and got the winner – and we’ve done it a few times this season. 

“You’re never going to be in a position where you’re always winning matches. There’s going to be a time when you’re down.

“In that moment, it’s just about keeping your head up and keeping on playing the same way. We’ll get that chance.”

Despite recent difficult form, Wharton recognises that brighter days are to follow in 2026. Any targets for the year – or perhaps World Cup goals? “I’m just taking it all as it comes.

“We want to get as far in Europe and as high up as we can in the Premier League – those are the big goals. We want to try and win as many matches as possible – we’ve had the feeling of winning trophies a couple of times now, and we want to keep having it. 

“But I’m not really thinking about the World Cup. It’s a long way away. We’ve got a lot of games before that – I know I just need to play well, and if I do, I’ll get the opportunity to go.” 

Sound, sage – ‘footballing intelligent’ – words. But then, from Adam Wharton, would you expect anything else?

Adam Wharton celebrates his 22nd birthday today (6th February, 2026) – many happy returns, Adam! – and, fittingly, is set to return to action for Palace at Brighton this weekend, the scene of his Eagles' debut just over two years ago. 

First-team

First-team

Glasner on pressing the reset button ahead of Brighton

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

Adam Wharton turns 22: Self-analysis, European football & targets for 2026

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7Ismaïla
Sarr

First-team

First-team

Glasner on pressing the reset button ahead of Brighton

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

Adam Wharton turns 22: Self-analysis, European football & targets for 2026

Shop Palace Shirts

7IsmaïlaSarr

7Ismaïla
Sarr