Eagle-Eyed Review
It has been a challenging yet memorable closing period of the season for Palace. Last time out, the young Eagles suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa despite producing a spirited second-half display at the Academy.
Reduced to 10 men following Joel Drakes-Thomas’ dismissal, Javier Alonso’s side nevertheless showed excellent character and pushed Villa all the way after David Angibeaud’s late strike set up a tense finish.
The defeat followed another difficult afternoon on the road against West Bromwich Albion, where Palace fell to a 4-0 defeat in their final away fixture of the campaign.
However, recent results do not fully reflect the circumstances surrounding the squad during the closing weeks of the season. Injuries to several key players, alongside the absence of a number of U16 regulars due to GCSE examinations, have significantly impacted selection options for the Academy staff.
Prior to those defeats, Palace had produced some outstanding performances, including a thrilling 6-3 victory away at Ipswich Town and an impressive 3-2 win over Arsenal at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Regardless of Saturday’s result, the 2025/26 season will be remembered as one of the most successful and historic Academy campaigns in recent years.
The young Eagles lifted the U18 Premier League Cup for the first time following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Manchester United at Selhurst Park in front of more than 4,000 supporters.
Benji Casey’s stoppage-time equaliser forced extra-time before Dean Benamar converted the decisive penalty in sudden death to secure a memorable night in SE25.
Only days earlier, Palace had narrowly missed out on a place in the Youth Cup final after falling to a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford – the club’s first appearance at that stage of the competition in almost 30 years.
The defeat to Aston Villa leaves Palace sixth in the U18 Premier League South on 45 points heading into the final fixture, with Alonso’s side now focused on ending the campaign strongly on home soil.