Seeking to preserve their unbeaten record in the 2025-26 Premier League, Crystal Palace welcome newly-promoted Sunderland to Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams meet for the first time since February 2017 when the Black Cats scored four first-half goals in an emphatic 4-0 away victory in the top flight.
Match preview
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner on August 21, 2025
Crystal Palace entered the international break in high spirits, as they secured their spot in the League Phase of the Conference League with a 1-0 aggregate win over Fredrikstad in the playoff round, before beating Aston Villa 3-0 in the Premier League a fortnight ago.
A stunning strike from captain Marc Guehi - who remains at the club after his anticipated switch to Liverpool collapsed on deadline day - either side of goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr helped the Eagles soar to a statement win at Villa Park and their first in the Premier League this season following back-to-back draws with Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.
There have been suggestions that Palace are fearing the prospect of head coach Oliver Glasner leaving the club, as tensions behind the scenes have reportedly intensified following an eventful conclusion to the summer transfer window, but the Eagles will hope to persuade the Austrian to stay and potentially extend his contract which is due to expire next summer.
Including results from last season, Palace are enjoying the longest current unbeaten run of any Premier League team having not lost any of their last nine matches (W3 D6). The Eagles last put together an undefeated run of at least 10 top-flight games between May and October 1990 (12).
Last season’s FA Cup winners will be confident of success on Saturday, as they have not lost any of their last 11 home matches in all competitions dating back to mid-February, while they have suffered defeat in just one of their last 16 Premier League encounters with a newly-promoted club (W10 D5) - losing 2-1 to Luton Town in November 2023.
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris looks on ahead of his side's return to the Premier League August 16, 2025
Tipped by many as one of the favourites to suffer relegation, Sunderland have made a promising start to life in the Premier League after eight seasons away and have collected six points from a possible nine available.
A 2-0 away defeat to fellow promoted said Burnley is the only blot on the blot on the Black Cats’ copybook, as Regis Le Bris has steered his new-look team to 3-0 and 2-1 home victories over West Ham United and Brentford respectively, most recently beating the latter before the international break.
Sitting inside the top six in the**Premier League table** at this early stage in the season, Sunderland will endeavour to become just the third newly-promoted team in the division’s history to win three of their opening four matches of a new campaign after Nottingham Forest in 1994 and Bolton Wanderers in 2001.
The Black Cats will back themselves to build on their impressive start and will take comfort from the fact that the away side has won five of the last six Premier League meetings between Sunderland and Crystal Palace (D1); in eight matches between the two clubs, the only home win took place in August 2013 when the Eagles won 3-1 at Selhurst Park.
Success on the road as a top-flight team has been hard to come by for Sunderland, though, as they have not won any of their last 25 Premier League away games in either August or September (D12 L13) since securing a 1-0 victory against Bolton back in August 2009.
Crystal Palace Premier League form:
D D W
Crystal Palace form (all competitions):
W D W D D W
Sunderland Premier League form:
W L W
Sunderland form (all competitions):
W L L W
Team News
Ismaila Sarr of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring against Aston Villa, on August 31, 2025
Ismaila Sarr has contributed to nine goals in his last 12 starts for Crystal Palace across all competitions (six goals, three assists), but he is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury on international duty with Senegal last week.
Adam Wharton withdrew from the England squad with a thigh problem and has also entered the treatment room that includes Cheick Doucoure, Chadi Riad (both knee), Eddie Nketiah (thigh) and Caleb Kporha (back).
Summer signings Yermy Pino, Christantus Uche and Jaydee Canvot are all in contention to make their full Premier League debut, the former is likely to replace the injured Sarr, while Jefferson Lerma could step into midfield in the absence of Wharton to play alongside Will Hughes, who could become just the fifth PL player in history to be booked in each of his team’s first four matches of a season.
As for Sunderland, Daniel Ballard is closing in on a return from a groin injury, but Saturday’s game will come too soon for the defender, while Romaine Mundle (hamstring) Aji Alese, Luke O'Nien (both shoulder), Leo Hjelde (calf) and Dennis Cirkin (wrist) all remain sidelined.
Brian Brobbey, Bertrand Traore and Lutsharel Geertruida were all signed by the Black Cats in the final two days of the transfer window and are in contention to make their debuts, the latter of whom is seemingly the most likely to start at right-back but faces competition from Trai Hum.
Wilson Isidor has scored two goals in three substitute appearances and will be pushing to start up front ahead of Eliezer Mayenda, while Simon Adingra will be hoping to force his way into the first XI on either flank at the expense of Chemsdine Talbi or Enzo Le Fee.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell; Kamada, Pino; Mateta
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Roefs; Geertruida, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo; Diarra, Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra
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We say: Crystal Palace 2-0 Sunderland
Sunderland have shown that they are certainly no pushovers and are ready to complete in the top flight with an exciting new-look squad that has the potential to cause an upset at Selhurst Park this weekend.
The absence of Sarr and Wharton is a blow for Crystal Palace, but they still possess plenty of quality across the pitch and we are backing the home side to come out on top and extend their unbeaten start to the new campaign.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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