Palace rise to the top four, and the backbone is clear: a captain’s poise, a rising midfielder’s drive, and a coaching philosophy built for a crowded calendar. After Crystal Palace defeated Fulham 2-1 on Sunday, they sit in the Premier League’s top four, a status earned despite a schedule that would fatigue many teams. Dan Edwards explains how Oliver Glasner’s side have navigated the season’s relentless rhythm.
The challenge was obvious: Thursday European fixtures followed bySunday league games against teams with fresher legs. It’s a brutal double burden, even more so for Palace, who carry a thinner squad than most of their counterparts and are competing in their first ever foray into a major European competition.
Season-long grind: most matches across all competitions for 2025/26
- Crystal Palace: 24 matches
- Liverpool, Tottenham: 23
- Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle: 22
- Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest: 21
- Brentford, Brighton, Fulham: 18
- Burnley, Everton, Wolves: 17
- Bournemouth, Leeds, Sunderland, West Ham: 16
- Manchester United: 15
Minutes logged by Premier League players (all comps) in 2025/26
- Maxence Lacroix (CRY): 2,160
- Daniel Muñoz (CRY): 2,047
- Marc Guehi (CRY): 1,995
- Jean-Philippe Mateta (CRY): 1,930
- Dominik Szoboszlai, Virgil van Dijk (LIV): 1,890
- Pedro Porro (TOT): 1,869
- Nikola Milenkovic (NFO): 1,799
- Micky van de Ven (TOT): 1,790
- Chris Richards (CRY): 1,777
Even with the rational excuses one might suppose, Marc Guehi—the club captain—delivered the decisive moment against Fulham, rising to meet Yeremy Pino’s corner and head home in the 87th minute to secure a crucial away win and lift Glasner’s side to fourth.
Guehi’s influence runs deep
The captain nearly moved to Liverpool in the summer, a decision Palace’s hierarchy only confirmed late to keep him at Selhurst Park. It’s impossible to know how that potential switch would have altered both clubs’ fates, but Palace would have been materially weaker without Guehi this season.
Guehi ranks among the best in the league for central defenders: a 66.7% duel success rate and a 71.4% aerial win rate place him high among peers. In fact, he sits behind only a handful of top defenders for aerial duels in 25/26, and his contribution extends to build-up play as well, ranking among line-breaking pass leaders in his position with 129 such balls.
Beyond defense, Guehi contributes in attack too. He already has two goals and two assists this season, involved in four league goals—only Mateta and Muñoz have more for Palace. In the midweek win over Burnley, Guehi provided a sublime cross to Muñoz for the lone goal, underscoring his dual impact.
Muñoz’s absence versus Fulham highlighted team depth
Muñoz missed the Fulham game due to knee swelling, yet Palace still found a way to win. Guehi’s display—defensive solidity, leadership in possession, and a late decisive header—emphasized how multiple players stepped up when one senior member wasn’t available.
Wharton’s all-around contribution
Adam Wharton continued his quiet, effective influence, threading a precise pass to Eddie Nketiah for Palace’s opener. His all-action performance included 14 defensive contributions alongside the assist, addressing doubts about his viability at the highest level with a strong display on Sunday.
Tactical implications for Glassner and the squad
Nketiah’s equalizer moment from Palace’s perspective gives Glasner flexibility, especially with Ismaila Sarr sidelined by ankle injury and potential AFCON duties for Senegal. Mateta’s rest needs remain pressing, while Nketiah’s familiarity with a forward role offers a trusted alternative if needed.
Glasner framed the win as evidence of a team that refuses to settle for a draw, praising the collective effort and the margins that define Premier League results. The result also reinforces a trend: Palace have repeatedly won when possession dipped below 40% in 2025—their eighth such victory, the most of any top-flight side.
Looking ahead
Next up, Palace host Chelsea-leading Manchester City in a high-stakes home clash, followed by a UEFA Conference League tie against Shelbourne that provides rotation options ahead of the City test. This fixture schedule could be a golden opportunity for Glasner to balance playing time and maintain momentum.
In short, Palace’s top-four status is less about one sensational performance and more about consistent, collective resilience sprinkled with moments from key players like Guehi and Wharton. The team’s ability to win using a compact game plan, defend effectively, and strike decisively when it matters most has become the defining storyline of their season so far.
Contemporary takeaways and questions for readers
- Should Palace be considered title contenders based on their durability and tactical discipline, or is their success more about opportunistic outcomes in a congested calendar?
- Is Guehi’s leadership and two-way contribution now the most indispensable element of Palace’s system, or is Muñoz’s absence an unacknowledged factor that masked other strengths?
- With Sarr out and rotation on the horizon, will Palace maintain their edge in tight matches and continue to punch above their weight, or will the fixture pile-up finally begin to catch up with them? Share your thoughts in the comments on whether this trajectory is sustainable or if a major setback is inevitable.
