Dean Henderson will help make history if the South London club win a first major trophy at Wembley and qualify for Europe, with Crystal Palace facing Manchester City in the FA Cup Final on Saturday
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LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 8: Dean Henderson of Crystal Palace during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Ipswich Town FC at Selhurst Park on March 8, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson will face Manchester City in the FA Cup final
(Image: Getty Images)
Dean Henderson has won only two England caps but is convinced he will become the Three Lions No.1. “When I achieve it, I'll enjoy it a lot,” he said. But first the Crystal Palace goalkeeper will have his big hands full trying to win the FA Cup and become a club legend.
And like other stars for the 12th-placed team in the Premier League, the former Manchester United trainee insists he has “points to prove” on the Wembley stage against Manchester City.
Henderson, 28, personifies the confidence coursing through a club where there is the believe that reaching the club’s third FA Cup final is not enough.
“Marc (Guehi) said to us after Fulham (the quarter-final) that the goal wasn’t just to reach Wembley, it was to win the FA Cup,” he said. “We are one step closer to that but we have a job we have got to finish off. It will be against a great team, it will be difficult but we are going in with nothing to lose, the pressure will be on them guys.”
This is a Palace squad which includes fellow England 2024 stars Guehi, Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze and Olympic silver medallist Jean-Philippe Mateta who all came close to glory last summer. And now all want to be winners.
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“You just have to look at our team, the players within our group, players with aspirations to win things,” Henderson added. “I think that is the biggest change. You have players with points to prove, who want to play for the biggest things.
“When I left United and came here, it was to take Palace to the next level, that is how it was described to me so, one season on, and hopefully we can lift silverware and get into Europe.”
Henderson, who is not shy of making his voice heard on and off the pitch, includes himself in the “points to prove” category. “Absolutely yes,” he stated.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Wolverhampton Wanderers unveil new signing Sam Johnstone at The Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground on August 30, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)
Dean Henderson won his battle for the Palace No.1 shirt with Sam Johnstone and his fellow England keeper was sold to Wolves
He joined Manchester United aged 14 but slammed the club after claiming he was promised he would replace David de Gea for the 2021-22 season. Henderson joined Palace on a permanent deal in 2023.
He contested the starting spot with Sam Johnstone before his fellow England keeper moved to Wolves and he finally got the No.1 shirt. And this proud Cumbrian made his England start in October nearly four years after his debut off the bench.
“You can only go off my form this season - I am up there with the best in the league goalkeepers wise,” he said. “Of course I know my level. The reality is that the only way you get seen is producing it week in, week out and I have been doing that.”
BERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 14: Cole Palmer of England is consoled by Dean Henderson after defeat during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England at Olympiastadion on July 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Dean Henderson, here consoling Cole Palmer, was part of the England squad which lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain
Has he now become the keeper everyone expected him to become at the start of his career? “I think I was unbelievable at Sheffield United,” Henderson responded. “I think I'm just going to keep going from strength to strength over the next couple seasons, and that's when I'll be maximising my potential.”
Becoming England No.1 is a big motivation. “That's what I do it for,” he added. “Obviously I want to play for my country and I believe that opportunity will arise and I look forward to grabbing it with both hands.
“You've got to earn the right to be in those positions where you can accumulate so many caps. It’s just step by step, and it's been a long journey to achieve that, but when I achieve it, I'll enjoy it a lot.”
Henderson even admits his disappointment that Palace did not compete for Europe through the Premier League after a slow start to the season.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Ben Johnson of Ipswich Town heads the ball at goal as Dean Henderson of Crystal Palace looks on during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Ipswich Town FC at Selhurst Park on March 08, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Dean Henderson denies Ipswich's Ben Johnson at Selhurst Park during Palace's 1-0 Premier League win
“But if someone had offered us this after 10 games, and you are 90 minutes away from European football and creating history for the football club,” he said. “We don’t speak about it a lot, but you will go down in history and you will be classed as the best ever Crystal Palace team no matter what and it will get spoken about for years to come.
“I know it means everything to the fans. This team will go down as the greatest Palace team ever. That will be something we’re all really excited to be involved in. So now, we’re looking forward to it. Fingers crossed it goes to plan and a European tour will be nice for the fan base. I’m sure they’ll make a noise all around Europe.”
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