Crystal Palace vs Sunderland Match Preview – Premier League 2025/26 | Form, Injuries, Lineups and Prediction | OneFootball

Crystal Palace vs Sunderland Match Preview: Oliver Glasner’s men haven’t lost at home in their last seven league games at Selhurst Park, as they welcome the newly promoted but fast-out-of-the-blocks Sunderland. Whilst the Black Cats have a stronghold on home ground, they will be keen to kick on some away form to boost their fight for survival this season.

Current Form

Palace are one of three unbeaten sides in the Premier League thus far, alongside title contenders Liverpool and Chelsea. After three games, they sit on five points, with draws to Nottingham Forest and Chelsea and a dominant 3-0 victory against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.

Sunderland couldn’t have started the season any better, with a 3-0 statement win over the Hammers in the opening gameweek. A shock defeat soon came their way against fellow promoted side Burnley away from home, highlighting a potential weakness for them on the road. Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats soon bounced back, however, with an emphatic late comeback to defeat Brentford 2-1.

Head-to-Head Record

An encounter that hasn’t been played in over eight years, but a fairly even one at that. Palace have 17 wins compared to Sunderland’s 16, who have had the last laugh in this fixture, winning 4-0 at Selhurst Park in 2017.

Injury News & Suspensions

Crystal Palace

Sunderland

Manager Quotes

Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace)Glasner praised Sunderland’s transfer strategy, “signing players not just for big money, but also high-quality players. There’s a good mixture between young players on their upside and also very experienced players like [Granit] Xhaka, and Nordi Mukiele, who played for PSG, or [Omar] Alderete. I know all three from the German Bundesliga.”

Regis Le Bris (Sunderland)Le Bris noted that Selhurst Park is a very difficult place to visit because “they are confident” and “it’s a consequence of a huge work before. It is a good example for us [Sunderland],” indicating a team that has overachieved and is now capable of winning trophies.

Predicted Lineups

Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell; Kamada, Pino; Mateta

Sunderland (4-3-3): Roefs; Geertruida, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo; Diarra, Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra

Crystal Palace vs Sunderland Match Preview: The Tactical Preview & Key Battles

Oliver Glasner’s side utilises the back 3 to great effect, able to maintain defensive structure whilst allowing the wingbacks of Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell to bomb forward and provide the attacking width. They’re also key in being able to play fast-paced football, winning turnovers and creating chances in advanced areas for the forwards.

With the wingbacks providing width, the attacking midfielders, consisting of the likes of Daichi Kamada and Yeremy Pino, must find half-spaces to operate and receive the ball to progress into attacking final-third situations.

Playing in a 4-3-3 formation, the Black Cats have been hard-working out of possession, with an inspiring willingness to work hard in regaining the ball and maintaining solidity at the back. Despite the season only just beginning, they have faced the second-fewest shots in the League, only falling short to Newcastle.

On the ball, Sunderland utilise the flanks as their main source to create attacking opportunities. Summer signing midfielders, Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki, regularly rotate between providing width in attack and aiding centrally when out of possession.

Key Battles

Mateta vs Alderete – The Palace forward will be an imposing threat on the Sunderland defence, and defender Omar Alderete will have a huge task on his hands keeping him quiet.

Xhaka vs Hughes/Lerma – Palace will likely be outnumbered in central midfield, but with Diarra and Sadiki’s attacking tendencies, Xhaka could be regularly caught 1v2 against the reliable Palace midfielders.

Predicted Scoreline

Crystal Palace 2-1 Sunderland

With Palace’s strong home form and a relative dip in quality for Sunderland when they’re away from home, the circumstances should play into the Eagles’ favour. Whilst both teams possess attacking quality, Oliver Glasner’s men will be looking to build on their 3-0 win against Aston Villa, maintaining that constant goalscoring threat and defensive assurance.

It will likely be competitive rather than a one-sided domination, but Palace’s experience and instrumental growth under Glasner should see them edge it over the Black Cats on Saturday.