Just shy of four weeks after defeating Fulham at Craven Cottage, Crystal Palace kickstart our 2026 against Marco Silva's side at Selhurst Park on New Year's Day (1st January, 17:30 GMT) – with Oliver Glasner expecting an exciting contest in SE25.
Speaking in his final press conference of a historic calendar year, the Manager reflected on Crystal Palace's incredible 2025, labelling the last 12 months as "maybe the best year in Crystal Palace history."
Glasner also discussed plans for the January transfer window; recovering from Palace's recent winless run; and his message to supporters as the Eagles head into another busy month of matches...
Read on below for the key talking points!
It was maybe the best year in Crystal Palace history
—Oliver Glasner
I never want to give a summary if the season or the year has not ended. And I think today, the 31st of December, it's a good day to sum it up – and I think it was incredible.
For all of us, it was, of course, history making. It was so many emotions and things happened which, I was told, nobody thought would ever happen.
We could give a lot of joy and enjoyment and entertainment to our fans. And, yes, maybe, of course, because of the last weeks and our results, it doesn't feel like this.
But when we see the whole picture, it was maybe the best year in Crystal Palace history.
Especially the players here had a huge contribution and did so well. And again, not just in one game or in two games, but really in a calendar year. I think now, because yesterday there were a few games, we were seventh in the Premier League in the calendar year table [Palace were sixth prior to Newcastle’s win last night].
We won two trophies, as you mentioned. We are playing European football. And so I think the whole club made a big step forward, upward, and every single player, everyone in the club enjoyed this year 2025 – and I'm pretty sure everybody will remember it forever.
Let's see what happens. Tomorrow starts the next crazy month in football – and I don't know. I've experienced so many different situations.
The next 31 days, everything is possible, like always, and everything I say today might be wrong in two days. And I think most of what I say today will be definitely wrong by the end of the transfer window!
I have always positive signs from the club in our talks, and I know all the effort. Everyone who is working behind the scenes on transfers and developing Crystal Palace is very hard-working and giving huge effort.
But I can’t tell you anything, because there won’t be a new player playing tomorrow!
Now we are in a phase of the league where you know everything about the opposition and the way they are playing.
It was a game where in one situation when they scored an offside goal. Very, very tight. We were a little bit lucky. And then we had the lucky punch right at the end with Marc [Guéhi]'s goal from the corner.
Because we have played so many games it feels so far away. But it is just four weeks. And then we think the last game [against Tottenham] we lost with a corner, and they had the lucky punch. But a few weeks ago we had the lucky punch with a corner.
Of course, we watched the game back. I think they can't surprise us. I think we can't surprise them. Then, let's see.
To be honest, for us it doesn't feel like a new year start.
For us it's after Macclesfield [on 10th January], because then we have four weeks of just one-game weeks, for the first time since November – since then we’ve just played every third day, and we’ve paid the bill a little bit with a few injuries, and of course it's AFCON.
But on the 10th, then we will have four weeks of training. It feels like a second pre-season! So for us it's really now getting the best until the 10th of January.
That means the three games: Fulham, Newcastle, Aston Villa. And then the start of the FA Cup, where we are the defending champions.
Then it's the first time for really four months to take a short break and a deep breath and then prepare for the second part. So for me it's not now new year starts, new season. It's really I think after the 10th it will feel like a restart.
The whole year, the analysts are always preparing for the opposition. They're watching many games.
And just like myself yesterday, I watched Fulham at West Ham, the game. Then I watched yesterday Newcastle at Burnley, and then later Arsenal against Villa.
But to be honest, nothing new. We know the way they are playing. They have the same managers. They have the same players. The structure is the same, but it's just getting another impression.
Of course the analysts, the backroom staff, they're always preparing in advance. But we will just talk, for example, starting after Fulham, we will talk about Newcastle and not before.
Wherever we play, whenever we play, evening, noon, afternoon, midweek, Sunday, bank holidays, they are there
—Oliver Glasner on the fans
We know that we always can count on our supporters. I hope they have some pounds left for all the games, to buy the tickets and pay for the away trips, because they're everywhere. Wherever we play, whenever we play, evening, noon, afternoon, midweek, Sunday, bank holidays, they are there.
I have a huge appreciation for them. We need them, they know it.
But I honestly think it was a tough December for the players. For me it's compared to the tough periods we overcame together: when I started [in February 2024], we had six games, just three points and we were fighting against not getting relegated. Then we went to Anfield after a 4-2 defeat against City [and won]. It was a tough period.
Then starting like we started last year [2024/25], with the great ending of the season after the start: eight games without a victory and then being right at the bottom of the league, that was a tough period, players not fit, also not available.
So for me it feels much more comfortable. We're not pleased with the results, definitely not. But we're always looking at our performances and I think they are by far better than the results are. This is a little bit similar to the start of last season, where the performances felt better than the results, and then I'm always confident that the results will come. I would have concerns if it's the opposite.
If we were really playing awful, not creating chances and always losing, then I would be concerned. But I see the players, I see also the players who will come back now, step by step, week by week. I see how hard the club is working in the background, so I have no concerns at all.
Crystal Palace v Fulham