Crystal Palace are set for their European debut as they take on Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad in the Europa Conference League qualifiers.
It has been a fiery summer over at Selhurst Park, with Crystal Palace embroiled in a battle to ensure they played in the UEFA Europa League. Having won the FA Cup, which allows the winners of the competition to participate in the Europa League, a massive error on Palace’s part ensured the paperwork for clubs with multi-club ownership was not done on time
After the initial ruling over the matter, the South London outfit launched an appeal, which too was turned down after much deliberation. The final verdict stated that Crystal Palace will be demoted to the UEFA Europa Conference League, and they will take on Norwegian side Fredrikstad FK in the qualifiers.
As for their season, Crystal Palace have enjoyed a bright start after winning the Community Shield against Liverpool on penalties, and then settling for a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. Oliver Glasner will be a happy man with those results that place them as the favourites for this European tie, but the manager is certainly unhappy due to the transfer speculation or lack of activity around the window from the club.
Meanwhile, Fredrikstad FK are reeling from a bad run of games that includes a 5-1 aggregate loss to Midtjylland in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, and they will want to big statement win over Crystal Palace.
Their overall form, particularly in the domestic league, has been a source of concern for manager Andreas Hagen. Despite starting the season superbly by winning eight of their first ten games, Fredrikstad have recorded only two wins in their last 14 fixtures across all competitions.
Team News & Tactics
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner and Crystal Palace continue to field transfer speculation surrounding star men Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi. There were rumours of moves to Tottenham and Liverpool respectively, but that has not deterred them from starting key games, including the Premier League opener against Chelsea, where Eze was a big doubt amid links with Spurs.
Once again, the pair are expected to feature from the start, and Glasner could make minor changes to the side to keep things fresh. For instance, Romain Esse could come in for Ismaila Sarr to allow the latter a breather and keep him fresh off the bench.
Similarly, Borna Sosa could be handed his full debut since his summer move as he could come in place of Tyrick Mitchell in the left wing-back slot. Glasner will likely keep most of the personnel from the Chelsea game.
Guehi could have regular partners Chris Richards and Maxence Lacroix at the back. Adam Wharton and Will Hughes are expected to keep their midfield spots, with Daniel Munoz set to continue in the right wing-back role. While Ebereche Eze set to feature, Jean-Philippe Mateta is once again expected to lead the line for Crystal Palace against Fredrikstad.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz; Wharton, Hughes, Sosa; Esse, Eze; Mateta
Fredrikstad
Andreas Hagen likes to field a back three similar to his counterpart, Oliver Glasner, and in Fredrikstad’s case, Solomon Owusu, Ulrik Fredriksen and Maxwell Woledzi are expected to form the central defensive partnership at the back.
Simen Rafn and Stian Stray Molde are expected to feature as wing-backs, with a midfield three of Patrick Metcalfe, Leonard Owusu and Oskar Ohlenschlaeger.
Emil Holten, who has six goals so far this season, is Fredrikstad’s top scorer and a likely starter against Crystal Palace alongside strike partner Henrik Skogvold.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Borsheim; Owusu, Fredriksen, Woledzi; Rafn, Ohlenschlaeger, L Owusu, Metcalfe, Molde; Holten, Skogvold
Key Stats
This will be Crystal Palace’s first-ever European game in their history.
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last ten games across all competitions.
Fredrikstad have managed only with two wins in their last 14 games across all competitions.
Fredrikstad have failed to win any of their last seven games away from home across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Eberechi Eze
Embed from Getty Images
Eze proved again why he is such a crucial player for Crystal Palace after another terrific performance against Chelsea. Only this time, the attacker found the referee rule out a brilliant free kick owing to a rule, the official chose to implement for the first time in six odd years.
With speculation surrounding his future mounting and Spurs looking closer than ever to signing him, Eze might play one of his last few games for the club with an appearance against Fredrikstad. The fans will hope they are not seeing him for the last time, and will want him to put in a memorable display at Selhurst Park against Fredrikstad in their first ever European game.
Prediction
Crystal Palace 3-0 Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad may come into this game to prove a point against a mid-table English opposition, but they are still likely to find themselves relatively weaker than Crystal Palace. There is the probability of a good enough game on the table, but the Norwegian side are the underdog in this encounter.
Fredrikstad face a Crystal Palace side in a good vein of form and unbeaten in their last ten games across all competitions. Oliver Glasner will want to continue on that form, and even though they did want to play in the Europa League, they will want the UEFA Europa Conference League place. Hence, the Eagles are expected to breeze past Fredrikstad with ease and keep a clean sheet.