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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

Sarr Previews Burnley

All Angles of Ismaïla Sarr's Goal v Brighton

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

Extended Highlights: Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace | Palace TV +

Match Action: Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace

Strand Larsen presents Sarr with Premier League Man of the Match

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

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

Strand Larsen on goalscoring home debut

The Palace forward said: “It was a great home debut, until their three quick goals against us. 

“It’s really annoying because I wanted to make this a special day, but I think we've all just got to learn from it. 

“The Premier League is really tough and no games are easy, so this can happen, but at the same time, we need to take responsibility for the lack of concentration we had in those 10 minutes.

“With their first goal, I think all of us were not concentrating or working hard enough from the top to the bottom – even me, I feel like I should have done more to help the team then – so it was really frustrating.

“That can happen, and we just need to find ourselves again and get back into the game. I felt like we gave it a little bit away and played on their strengths, and then we couldn't really keep up with the momentum we had the first 30 minutes.

“We’re really disappointed with that, but we have to take the positives of what we brought to the table in the first 30 minutes.

“I think the reaction of the second-half was a little bit better at least. They made it difficult for us, but we gave it a solid effort. But I think in the end, we could have done a bit more, both to keep it away from our goal, and also to score a third one in the second-half.”


I feel really at home here, and we just have to keep on working

On his own performance – which saw him net a powerful half-volley and an excellent diving header in his first appearance at Selhurst Park as a Palace player – he added: “I thought it was going to be a special day – but I will always remember my first two goals here.

“It was a great feeling and the two assists were amazing. It shows what quality we have in the team.

“Obviously for myself, getting the two first goals here was really important. It's been a long time now and I feel really positive, I feel really at home here, and we just have to keep on working.

“I felt like I could have scored last game, so that was a shame, but I've been really hungry. I've been really pleased to come in here.

“I'm just going to keep on working hard and believe in myself, and that's the most important thing. I think this team has the possibility to do great things and we're not going to dig ourselves down under the ground because of a defeat.”

Jørgen Strand Larsen was disappointed his home debut for Crystal Palace – which started in spectacular fashion – ended in defeat to Burnley, despite the Norwegian netting a brace in front of his new supporters.

Strand Larsen's thoughts on home debut & brace against Burnley

Burnley

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An eight-minute period before half-time, where Burnley scored three goals to turn the game around, undid an excellent start from Palace who had stormed into a 2-0 lead.

And despite the Eagles dominating the second-half and creating some good chances, the visitors held on for the win.

Lacroix, making his 80th appearance for Palace, said the manner in which they conceded the goals made it a particularly frustrating evening.

“I think we lost our focus for 10 minutes,” he said. “And we conceded three goals in these 10 minutes.

“So I think it's a big mistake from us. We are a little bit frustrated about that, about this result.

“We could have done better for the fans. I think we lost our concentration and this is not professional.

“We have to work on this, because we want to have a successful season. If we reduce these types of mistakes, we can still have a beautiful season.”

Despite a disappointing night, the bright spark for Palace was two goals from Jørgen Strand Larsen on his home debut.

“I’m happy for my teammate,” Lacroix added. “I think he is already part of the group, it feels like he’s been here for a long time.

“I was happy to see him score today and I think the fans are also happy \[with him\].”

Maxence Lacroix said Crystal Palace can still have a successful season if they cut out silly mistakes following Wednesday’s defeat against Burnley.

Lacroix: We are all frustrated 

### Summary:

- Glasner’s 100th game as Palace Manager – the same fixture as his first – sees the Manager make two changes from weekend win over Brighton.
- Guessand comes in for full Palace debutant, also making home debut alongside Strand Larsen; Kamada returns to starting XI.
- **10:** Palace make the early running, threatening through Sarr.
- **17 – GOAL:** Strand Larsen marks home debut with a powerful finish, his first goal for the club.
- **23:** Flemming strikes over from a promising position for Burnley.
- **33 – GOAL:** Strand Larsen doubles tally with brilliant diving header from Lerma’s delivery.
- **39 – Goal:** Mejbri places a smart finish inside the near post to get Burnley back in it.
- **43:** Strand Larsen denied first-half hat-trick by a last-ditch challenge from Esteve.
- **44 – Goal:** Anthony draws Burnley level with an emphatic low finish.
- **45+2 – Goal:** Humphreys completes visitors turnaround with near-post header, squirming in off Lerma.
- **HT: Palace 2-3 Burnley**
- **50:** Muñoz, Wharton and Lacroix all threaten as Palace dominate opening exchanges of the second-half.
- **62:** Sarr’s well-struck half-volley sails narrowly wide of the top corner.
- **69:** Kamada stoops to meet Muñoz’s cross, but can’t quite direct it on target.
- **77:** Johnson bends a firm curling shot just beyond the upright.
- **83:** Uche also comes on for Palace as the hosts finish with five attackers on the pitch.
- **90:** Hughes’ low effort deflects narrowly wide, before Burnley clear their lines from a subsequent goalmouth scramble.
- **90+5:** Sarr denied by Dúbravka at the death as visitors cling on for unlikely victory.
- **FT: Palace 2-3 Burnley**

Match Action: Crystal Palace 2-3 Burnley

On the occasion of his 100th match in charge of Palace, in a fixture which mirrored his first two years ago, Oliver Glasner handed starts to winter signings Jørgen Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand – their Selhurst Park bows as Eagles – as Daichi Kamada returned to the starting XI after a two-month lay-off.

With renewed confidence following the weekend’s win at Brighton – and recent form against Burnley in their favour – there was no doubt inside the opening exchanges which team posed the greater attacking threat.

Ismaïla Sarr, the weekend’s winning goalscorer, featured prominently in an energetic high press, and only an unfortunate bounce of the ball prevented him from bearing down on goal one-on-one at the 10-minute mark.

But after another new Eagle, Guessand, marked his debut with an assist at the weekend, it was fellow winter arrival Strand Larsen who made the breakthrough in front of his new supporters after 17 minutes with his first goal for the club.

Palace’s runners in behind had already threatened on several occasions in the opening exchanges – and this time, when Tyrick Mitchell won the ball on the halfway line and Kamada and Adam Wharton linked up quickly, the latter’s ball over the top found Strand Larsen striding into the box.

The Norwegian deftly brought the ball under his control and, looking up, blasted a clean half-volley past the advancing Martin Dúbravka, before wheeling away in front of a delirious Holmesdale – the perfect introduction to his new adoring supporters.

To Burnley ‘s credit, that did prompt a response – and five minutes later, Zian Flemming ought to have done better when picked out inside the box by Jaidon Anthony, only for the Burnley forward to place a poor effort way beyond the bar.

On too many occasions so far this season, Palace could perhaps be accused of being profligate with their chances – but Strand Larsen seemed determined to set that right at Selhurst, and duly scored an instinctive second in brilliant fashion on 33 minutes.

With Jefferson Lerma picking up the ball in a deep position, angled perfectly for a cross, the centre-forward ahead of him was already sprinting across his marker.

Lerma’s delivery was pinpoint, and was matched by a wonderfully angled diving header from Strand Larsen, picking out the far bottom corner to leave Dúbravka sprawling – and Selhurst delirious.

Again to the visitors’ credit, they kept playing their football, and pulled a goal back not long after. A sharp passing move down the right culminated in Marcus Edwards pulling the ball back towards the edge of the box – and Hannibal Mejbri finding the top corner with an emphatic finish.

Despite matches between Palace and Burnley being low-scoring in recent years, this one was proving end-to-end. Minutes later, Strand Larsen was only denied a first-half hat-trick from Mitchell’s pull-back

A fixture with a track record of recent Palace domination was proving end-to-end, and only a last-ditch sliding tackle from Burnley’s Maxime Estève prevented Strand Larsen from putting the seal on a first-half treble not long after.

But, somewhat amazingly, it was Burnley who went in at the break ahead, after two quickfire goals in the final minutes of the half.

The first stemmed from a possible handball by Lesley Ugochukwu in midfield – deemed, by VAR, accidental – which led to the playmaker finding Jaidon Anthony. The Burnley No. 11 cut inside Lerma and, with Henderson unsighted, planted a firm finish into the near bottom corner.

And in the second minute of injury time, the visitors – somehow – took the lead, a near-post header from Bashir Humphreys initially saved by Dean Henderson, only for the ball to take an unfortunate ricochet off the covering Lerma, agonisingly squirming over the line.

An incredulous noise reverberated around Selhurst as the half-time whistle sounded – Palace seemingly in full control, but somehow behind at the break.

To their credit, it was control they reasserted from the onset of the second-half – Daniel Muñoz finding the side-netting within seconds of the restart after picking up an advanced position, before Maxence Lacroix twice went close with headers from corner kicks.

Fellow winter arrival Brennan Johnson was brought on with 58 minutes on the clock, but it was joint-top goalscorer Sarr who was next to go close, firing a fierce half-volley narrowly wide of the upright after Strand Larsen had headed it back into his vicinity.

For long stretches of the ensuing period, the diagonal pass to the overlapping Muñoz was frequently on – and it brought with it plenty of openings. Shortly before 70 minutes, the Colombian’s first-time volleyed cross was met by Kamada – stooping at the back post – but the midfielder’s header rippled the side-netting.

Will Hughes and Yéremy Pino were next to emerge from the Palace bench as Glasner threw additional attackers on for the closing stages.

It was Johnson who was next to go close with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, turning sharply and bending a crisp effort goalwards from 25 yards – but also over the bar.

As the visitors put all 11 men behind the ball, Christantus Uche was next to come on for Palace as Glasner continued to add attacking players to the field.

With the game ticking into five minutes of added time, Hughes’ firm low strike deflected narrowly wide, and the subsequent corner kick triggered a goalmouth scramble, but the ball simply would not fall to a red and blue shirt.

In the final seconds, another ball into the box was chested down by Sarr, who struck a fierce effort goalwards, only for Dúbravka to spring up high and push it away.

Try as they might, the Eagles simply could not find the equaliser their general dominance deserved – a madcap spell at the end of the first-half proving costly in extending Palace’s lengthy winless run at Selhurst Park.

**Palace:** Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix, Lerma (Riad, HT), Muñoz (Pino, 72), Wharton (Uche, 83), Kamada (Hughes, 72), Mitchell, Sarr, Strand Larsen, Guessand (Johnson, 58).

**Subs:** Benítez (GK), Clyne, Sosa, Devenny.

**Burnley:** Dubravka (GK), Walker, Humphreys, Esteve, Worrall, Edwards (Foster, 73), Mejbri (Ward-Prowse, 83), Laurent, Ugochukwu (Florentino, 87), Anthony, Flemming (Bruun Larsen, 73).

**Subs:** Weiss (GK), Tchaouna, Ekdal, Pires, Barnes.

### As It Happened

Jørgen Strand Larsen scored twice on his home debut for Crystal Palace, but the Eagles were undone by a quickfire first-half comeback from Burnley, losing out 2-3 at Selhurst Park.

First-team

First-team

Strand Larsen's thoughts on home debut & brace against Burnley

Lacroix: We are all frustrated

Report & Highlights: Palace suffer seesaw Selhurst defeat to Burnley

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7Ismaïla
Sarr

First-team

First-team

Strand Larsen's thoughts on home debut & brace against Burnley

Lacroix: We are all frustrated

Report & Highlights: Palace suffer seesaw Selhurst defeat to Burnley

Shop Palace Shirts

7IsmaïlaSarr

7Ismaïla
Sarr