PREVIEW: Crystal Palace aim to create history against Fredrikstad | OneFootball

After their controversial demotion from the Europa League and in the midst of a storm of transfer rumours and uncertainty, Oliver Glasner’s Eagles travel to face Fredrikstad with the aim of progressing into the UEFA Conference League’s league phase. Palace managed to take a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg thanks to a Jean-Philippe Mateta goal and will be looking to progress into a major European competition for the first time in their history.

Palace hosted their maiden big European night without star Eberechi Eze, who completed a move to Arsenal days later. This transfer follows a summer of speculation surrounding Palace and their players. Captain Marc Guéhi has also had continuous links to Liverpool which don’t seem to being going away. All this speculation surrounding the Palace team makes tomorrow night’s fixture a crucial one for Glasner’s team. However, a tough challenge awaits. Fredrikstad provided a stern test at Selhurst Park and that will only be amplified when The Eagles travel to Norway on Thursday.

Changes behind the scenes at Palace

In the absence of Eze, Crystal Palace relied on a strike force of Mateta, Ismaïla Sarr and academy graduate Justin Devenny when the sides met last week. Mateta, lethal as ever, provided the difference but there was a noticeable lack of creativity after Eze’s departure. The Eagles have since drawn at home to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, taking their overall tally so far to two points. Glasner has since stressed the importance of Palace strengthening in the transfer market, something that will only become more important should captain Guéhi depart for Liverpool too.

The form of Sarr will be crucial to Palace’s success this season. Full reliance on Mateta will prove to be difficult in the long run. The Frenchman scored 16 goals last season. However, the now departed Eze managed 14 goals and 11 assists for The Eagles last season, something that Glasner’s side will need to recreate either with new signings – Yeremy Pino’s arrival is reported to be imminent – or other players.

The Norwegian newboys

In a period of transition, the side to which they’ll travel are putting full focus on this competition from now on. Fredrikstad sit 10th in the Eliteserien and they face Palace having already been knocked out of the Europa League qualifiers by FC Midtjylland. Fredrikstad’s manager Andreas Hagen now has to make this competition the team’s priority, with the Aristokratene winning just one of their last five games in all competitions.

However they will take confidence in the fact the lead Palace bring to their ground is a slender one. Hagen will be attempting to target any ideas of unrest in the Palace dressing room. Fredrikstad are competing in their first European matches in 16 years after winning the 2024 Norwegian Cup. They will be looking to make their mark, whereas their opponents are looking to emerge from a summer of uncertainty and really kick on with their season.

Where to watch

The game will kick off at 17.00 BST and 18.00 CEST and will be available to watch on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom.