The two lads made their first-team bows a year apart from one another, with Mitchell stepping up aged 20 in July 2020, and Rak-Sakyi doing so aged 19 in August 2021.
Since then Mitchell has made the left-back role his own, featuring 65 times for Palace, and Rak-Sakyi earned his first Premier League start as the 21/22 season ended at Selhurst.
For both players 2022/23 will be a landmark campaign: Mitchell has the opportunity to build on two England caps and Rak-Sakyi the chance to add to his two Premier League outings.
Both early on in their careers and both having developed in Palace's Academy, perhaps unsurprisingly they have similar aims for the next few months.
"My aim is just to improve from last season," Mitchell says, "that’s the main thing. [I want to] play as many games with Palace and just improve as a team and a player."
Seemingly having mastered football parlance already, Rak-Sakyi adds: "I’m just hoping to play as many games as I can, help the team in every way possible and improve individually."
When Mitchell first stepped-up he praised the senior players' support, most of all Jaïro Riedewald's. Now, with two full seasons behind him, he has the chance to guide a roster of younger talents too.