July 9 2026

Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace start the 2026/27 campaign under new manager Pierre Sage. But can he turn silverware into sustained success?

Crystal Palace’s 2025/26 campaign will be remembered more for the silverware rather than for how they performed in the Premier League. The Eagles lifted both the Community Shield and the UEFA Conference League trophies, giving former manager Oliver Glasner the perfect send-off. Yet, a 15th-place finish in the top flight, which included a nine-game winless run mid-season, tells a bit of a different story. The challenge for new manager Pierre Sage is to turn the cup-final moments into something more consistent across the board.

New Manager, New Approach

Sage arrives at Selhurst Park from RC Lens, where he guided the French outfit to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 and their first-ever Coupe de France success. At Palace, he inherits a squad that was reshaped last season, with Eberechi Eze leaving for Arsenal in the summer and captain Marc Guehi heading to Manchester City in the January transfer window. Palace did respond by signing the likes of Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brennan Johnson, but when looking at the latest football betting, the suggestion is that a lot of work needs to be done between now and the start of the new season if Palace are to be a force under Sage.

Fixing the Premier League Form

The most pressing task is to improve Palace’s Premier League form. The Eagles’ run in Europe seemed to come at the cost of what the club was able to achieve in the league, with just four wins recorded across the final 20 fixtures. Sage’s back-three system, a natural continuation of Glasner’s approach, should ease the tactical transition, but replicating the European intensity across 38 league games will be a big ask. It’s a reminder that Palace can’t take their place in the Premier League for granted when they’re playing in European competition.

Replacing the Irreplaceable

Losing players of the quality of Eze and Guehi would be a blow for any club, but especially one like Palace, where they were the star men. The Eagles did cope, as proven by their Conference League triumph. Still, it’s integral that more quality is added to the squad if they’re to be able to compete in Europe and in the Premier League simultaneously. Players like Adam Wharton and Ismaila Sarr were big performers last term, but they will need better players around them if the team is to progress. It makes this transfer window crucial, as Palace will have to be smart with the business they do.

Balancing the Premier League and Europe

Palace’s Conference League success means they will be playing in the Europa League this season. This means that they will face the same difficult balancing act that hampered their top-flight form last term. Sage will have to be smart in how he rotates his team, and will probably have to rely less on a settled XI. Getting the balance right is what will ultimately decide what kind of season Palace and Sage have.

Conclusion

Crystal Palace’s trophy cabinet has never looked as healthy as it does right now. And winning trophies is what every club sets out to do. However, being able to couple this type of success with solid league campaigns is what should be next on the agenda. Pierre Sage arrives tasked with making that happen, and if the club can give him the tools, he could turn silverware into sustained success.