Premier League analysis: Inside Crystal Palace’s rise - The keys to their 2025/26 success

Crystal Palace are flying high in 2025/26, following last season’s FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs at Wembley.

Many thought the departure of the talismanic Eberechi Eze would clip their wings, but Oliver Glasner’s Eagles are soaring to heights unseen for the South Londoners.

They perch proudly in fourth spot in the Premier League, peering over their shoulders to find Chelsea and Manchester United breathing down their necks.

Here, Sports News Blitz writer Tom Gardiner breaks down the key reasons behind Crystal Palace’s success in 2025/26.

Key personnel

Austrian head coach Oliver Glasner was hired after his departure from German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in February 2024, succeeding Roy Hodgson after his second stint in the dugout at Selhurst Park.

He has led Palace to FA Cup glory and brought European football to Croydon, the first time either achievement has been made.

By instilling a hard-working, compact defensive structure, he has transformed Palace into a tricky side to oppose.

At the beginning of October, Everton scored a late winner at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium to bring Palace’s 19-game unbeaten streak to an end, the longest in the club’s history.

United are the only Premier League team so far this season to leave Croydon with all three points, with Selhurst Park becoming a formidable hunting ground for travelling teams.

Glasner has stoked the fire at Crystal Palace, with flames of European hope emerging from an otherwise dormant pile of mid-table ashes.

But for Glasner to implement his style and truly galvanise the squad, he needed to maximise the potential of the talent already at his disposal.

One player who has seen a dramatic upturn in fortunes is Jean-Philippe Mateta, whose scoring rate has sky-rocketed under Glasner’s management.

Netting 39 times in 83 matches since the Austrian’s arrival has made the French international one of the league’s most devastating forwards, with only Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago bettering his tally this season.

Inconveniently for Palace chairman Steve Parish, the upswing in Mateta’s form has coincided with a crucial junction in his contract.

Expiring in 2027, Mateta and his camp hold the cards on his future. Talks over a renewal have stalled, and bigger clubs will certainly be keeping tabs on the situation, ready to swoop in when the time is right.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Premier League betting tips: Wolves to suffer at the hands of Arsenal, Igor Thiago to score, and more Gameweek 16 betting tips

Unique tactical approach

Glasner has implemented a shape that doesn’t usually bring much joy in English football.

Many coaches want to follow Pep Guardiola’s positional model, which can be seen with clubs up and down the pyramid inverting their full-backs.

But Glasner is not afraid to stray from the pack.

Upon arrival, he immediately replaced Hodgson’s 4-2-3-1 with the 3-4-2-1 that he had used previously in his career.

It is built on a strong defensive foundation, with Maxence Lacroix anchoring the back line.

Lacroix was a first-team regular under Glasner at Wolfsburg during the 2020/21 season, so it is no surprise he has the manager’s trust to maintain stability.

Either side of him, American international Chris Richards and Palace skipper Marc Guehi complete the back three.

Guehi was the subject of much transfer controversy over the summer, with Liverpool keen to acquire the England international.

His contract expires at the end of the season, so this is likely his final campaign at Selhurst Park.

In midfield, Adam Wharton has been a revelation and England boss Thomas Tuchel has kept a firm eye on his progress.

Beside him, Daichi Kamada operates - another player who spent time under Glasner in Germany.

They won the Europa League together in 2021/22.

In this system, it is the wing-backs that provide the width, typically Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Munoz.

This enables the attacking players to remain close to each other and, crucially, close to goal.

The front three is usually made up of Spanish summer signing Yeremy Pino, ex-Watford winger Ismaila Sarr and Mateta through the middle.

This formula has been potent for Palace this season.

READ MORE: Premier League news: John Arne Riise backs Erling Haaland to break Alan Shearer’s scoring record

The paradigm shift

Glasner’s future is uncertain. He left Frankfurt due to a misalignment between his own vision and that of his superiors, and parallels are beginning to be drawn at Palace.

He was quoted saying: “If you have soup every day it’s nice, but as soon as you have beef you want more beef”.

This was interpreted as a jibe at both Parish and American investor Woody Johnson after a lack of backing in the summer transfer window, following a historically great season for Palace no less.

Glasner has rejected the notion that a January signing will suffice, claiming it is too little too late as over 50% of the season’s matches would have been played.

The manager added: “If you play European football for the first time in your history, you should invest and not save.”

The Austrian has led Palace to greener grass. He has brought unprecedented history.

As a result, the mindset and belief around the club have changed.

No longer is mid-table mediocrity the norm in Croydon.

Fans and players alike have got a taste for the sweet nectar that is victory.

Parish and co. find themselves with one of the nicer problems a sports organisation can face: they are suffering from success.

If they do not support Glasner with adequate talent to match his ambition, it is unlikely he will sign another deal.

However, if they tailor the squad exactly to his needs, they will find it difficult to continue their trajectory when another coach inevitably takes the reins.

From the outside looking in, bolstering the squad in the summer may well have been the best option.

But hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it is easy to say what a club should have done months after the window closes.

One thing is for certain: Glasner has revolutionised the football, culture and standards at Selhurst Park.

Should he sign a new deal, Palace supporters can rightfully hope for their European residency to be extended.

READ NEXT: Champions League news: Five key talking points as struggling Liverpool edge Inter Milan at San Siro