Crystal Palace

Alex Pewter
Fan writer

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In the end, all it took was a spell of Eberechi Eze brilliance late in the first half to take Saturday's game away from Fulham, earn a seventh cup win of the season and a place at Wembley for the club's sixth FA Cup semi-final.

Seemingly, the pre-match nerves in the away end at kick-off were not at all necessary, and the "cup specialist" reputation that Oliver Glasner arrived with following his success with Eintracht Frankfurt may carry some weight.

If March was a barren month for Premier League fixtures, having only faced Ipswich, then April is set to be a hectic one by comparison.

The team will be unable to revel in their FA Cup exploits for long. While a fourth game this season against Aston Villa awaits at the end of the month in the cup, the other five league fixtures will be season-defining in their pursuit of a top-half finish and beyond.

Aside from Wednesday's away trip to Southampton, which carries a different sort of pressure as the de facto favourite on paper, each of the remaining matches is against a team from the top half of the table, each either occupying or within touching distance of European qualification.

If Glasner and his team are to stake their claim as contenders, these are precisely the fixtures they will need to win to establish themselves as one. With almost every team element clicking into place at the right time, there is no reason to believe they cannot do just that.

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Crystal Palace are the first English top-flight side to ever win six straight away games without conceding a goal.

"That has blown me away," former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "That is remarkable.

"The result at Fulham caught me off guard because I thought it would be a closer game than it was. Instead, Palace went there and absolutely dismantled Fulham.

"Marco Silva's side didn't look like they had any ideas or answers and Palace looked a class above.

"When you look at Palace now and look into the future of what could happen to them, you think about the players that could be poached. Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze, Ismaila Sarr, Adam Wharton and Jean-Phillipe Mateta would be the ones I expect teams to come in for because of the season they are having.

"I am looking at the teams left in the FA Cup and they are probably the one team that could just focus on the competition, so that is an advantage when any one of those teams could win it."

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We asked for your views on Crystal Palace's 3-0 victory over Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Here are some of your comments:

Rob: A terrific defensive performance meant that even with Fulham's domination of possession in the first 25 minutes, Palace never looked like conceding. Jefferson Lerma's long-distance effort seemed to spark things and from then on we moved up the gears. Eberechi Eze's goal was sensational and his assist for Ismaila Sarr was perfect. Defensively, Chris Richards was a rock at the centre of everything. Great for Eddie Nketiah to make the scoresheet too. A great overall performance. It was a really good overall team performance, well managed by Glasner and superb support as ever from the fans.

Theo: Great Palace display! It will really help us with the fact that Mateta is back, and Eze can really show his true colours. We've been really solid at the back this season and that trend continued across the Thames.

Keith: I believe we are only going to get stronger in the rest of the season. We were a bit rusty as it was the first competitive game in over three weeks. Mateta is going to get back to full fitness and the squad is fully fit apart from two long-term absentees. I believe a top-seven position in the league is there for the taking and FA Cup winners.

James: We missed Will Hughes for the first half hour but Eze's goal changed everything. In the end, it could have been more. What a strike from Lerma when he hit the bar - and how many headed clearances did Chris Richards make? We fear no-one. Well, maybe Man City, but nobody else!

Al: What a professional and clinical performance. The three centre-backs were yet again incredible. Our wing-backs are a threat and when you have players like Eze, Sarr and Nketiah, you know there is a threat across the front line. In Glasner we believe - and now dare to dream.

Joe: A magical afternoon on the banks of the Thames! Palace weathered the storm, and then took control with three cracking goals. We need to keep this team and this manager; then we can see just where we can go! Beautiful.

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The draw for the FA Cup semi-finals has been made.

Here are the two ties in the order they were drawn.

Games will be played at Wembley over the final weekend of April.

• Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth or Manchester City

• Crystal Palace v Aston Villa

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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner also spoke to ITV after today's win: "Key number one was to survive the first 20 minutes. We were really rusty after three weeks with no competitive game. We only had one training before this game with everyone coming back from the national team. The structure wasn't good and everyone struggled.

"Key number two was Eberechi (Eze's) goal. It's unbelievable - the individual quality. Then we have the confidence and in our structure waiting for the right moments."

On Eze: "What I told him I already said to you - it was so important the first goal because we got the belief back, we were really struggling in the beginning. You need something when you're struggling in the game, some positive actions to get the belief back."

On his team's effort: "It's not fair to only talk about one player because it was such a great team effort. In the second half there was a lot of pressure because if they had scored one goal it would have been a tight game again. It's a great group and everyone is here to help the team."

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Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has also been speaking to ITV after today's win: "It was an important goal. I'm happy to help the team and that's what I'm here for. We didn't start the best, it was difficult and there was a lot of defending but eventually we broke them down."

On his goal: "I want to get the ball in the pockets and cutting inside, thank God it went in today. We took our chances when we got them and we put in a good performance."

On whether Crystal Palace have what it takes to win the FA Cup: "We're confident in ourselves and we know what we can do, we know what we are capable of. It's games like today where you show the mentality which will get you further in the tournament."

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Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has been speaking to ITV after today's victory: "We dug deep and got our rewards. Big credit to the manager and the staff, we make sure we are set up in the right way with real leaders on the pitch. There is resilience in the team and that's what we need.

"We'll take it one game at a time. We did what we had to do today, we focus on the league and then focus on who we get in the next round. One game at a time. We thank God for this opportunity so we will do our best to take it."

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Crystal Palace have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 2022, with the Eagles progressing from five of their past six quarter-final ties in the competition.

Crystal Palace have won five successive games in all competitions for the first time since April 2014, while they've won six consecutive away games in all competitions for the first time.

Since the start of 2025, only Liverpool (11) have won more games in all competitions among Premier League sides than Crystal Palace (10). The Eagles have also recorded the most clean sheets in that time (eight).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

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Crystal Palace won at Craven Cottage at the end of February and it is a ground where they have a decent record - they have not lost there in their past six visits, since 2005.

It is a boost for Palace that Jean-Philippe Mateta is available to lead their attack - he can play wearing a special mask to protect his ear after his injury against Millwall in the fifth round - but we will have to see how much he has been affected by such a horrific challenge.

The Eagles are a well-balanced team who seem to be improving all the time under Oliver Glasner - they have lost only two of their past 14 games.

I have found Fulham hard to predict this season because they have been less reliable than usual at home, but they are still having a strong campaign. They are in the mix for the Champions League places, and are only three points behind fifth-placed Manchester City.

Palace are very strong on the road but they have not played for the past three weeks - their game against Newcastle before the international break was postponed because of the Carabao Cup final.

We often talk about teams needing a rest, but my concern is how that break has affected their momentum.

This is going to be a close game, but I actually fancy Fulham to edge it. Marco Silva's side have got goals in them, and my gut feeling is that they will get through in 90 minutes.

I just hope both managers go for it properly, and don't prioritise next week's midweek Premier League games [Fulham are at Arsenal on Tuesday and Palace travel to Southampton on Wednesday] instead of this tie.

Fulham and Palace have shown this season they have got enough quality in their strongest starting XIs to go all the way in the FA Cup, especially this year when the competition appears so open.

They are both in a great position to finally win a major trophy, so why not try to make history and give their fans something to celebrate?

Palace's only previous cup success was winning the Zenith Data Systems Cup in 1991.

I can imagine their fans enjoyed that day a lot, but lifting the FA Cup would be on a different planet, and the same goes for Fulham, who have not even been in an FA Cup semi-final since 2002.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has full confidence that key striker Jean-Philippe Mateta will be in good shape to feature against Fulham in their FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

The France international has not played since he was injured in a collision with Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts which left him requiring 25 stitches to his left ear.

Mateta, who has scored 15 times this season, will wear a protective helmet against Marco Silva's side.

"If I believed it's a problem, I wouldn't play him," said Glasner.

"The doctor and the team did a great job finding the right protection. We tried two or three different ones, everything is approved by the Premier League."

"He feels comfortable [wearing the helmet]. When he scores a header tomorrow then it was the right mask with the right protection."

"When I've watched JP in training he looks the same like before. He needs to get back into his rhythm, he couldn't train for two weeks. One week he was just at home then he trained for a week individually.

"He's been lucky that nothing was fractured, no concussion. It was just the ear. I know it was a terrible injury. Some players say that the ear looks better than before now."

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Saturday's FA Cup game against Fulham (kick-off 12:15 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Jean-Phillipe Mateta's fitness: "He trains now for two weeks with us. Of course, always with his protection and it's also important for him to train a little bit. We had an internal game during the international break where he could play for 60 minutes without any problems. He's ready."

• On Mateta's protective mask that he is now required to wear to over his ear when playing: "I said to him to maybe try water polo because he is tall enough. It looks a little bit strange, but he says he is comfortable. Let's see, when he scores a header tomorrow then it was the right mask and the right protection."

• On the rest of the squad's fitness: "The positive thing is all players are fit and available – just Will Hughes is questionable. He's a bit sick, so let's see how the afternoon and the night will be. But all others arrived back from the national teams in very good shape, and all the players who are here are fit. It's just Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure who are out for the rest of the season, all others are ready."

• On sporting director Dougie Freedman's decision to leave: "I'm always very close with a lot of talks almost every day. I was involved, he didn't ask me about the decision but I was always involved in the process. It didn't come as a surprise to me, he was looking for a different challenge not here in the Premier League. He took the decision for himself and his family, so we had to agree. There's no disappointment, he was always quite open so it's all good."

• On how Freedman's exit could effect summer transfer business: "The good thing is we already started weeks ago with our recruitment that we want to do in the summer. Everything is on the pathway, I'm pretty sure we will do the right things. Of course, it's a new situation when a very important guy leaves after eight years. But we have very good communications in the club, all the players we are looking at we know. I'm pretty sure we will get the things done that we want done."

Follow all of Friday's FA Cup news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Crystal Palace defender Ben Chilwell says players like Jean-Philipe Mateta are important to have in the dressing room.

The striker is in contention to play in Saturday's FA Cup match against Fulham, which could be his first match since suffering a head injury in the last round against Millwall.

"Before I came to Palace, I watched him on TV, we know how good of a footballer he is, and how prolific he is in front of goal," Chilwell told the club's website.

"On the other side of it, which I've been impressed by, is how he is around the building. He's the glue of the place, really. He's the loudest one in the changing room, the loudest one around here. You need a few of those.

"It's a long season, so you need those characters around the place who are always cracking jokes, making people laugh. In the small side games in training, they're the loudest ones when their team loses or their team wins.

"They're the most important figures in the changing room. You definitely notice when he's not in the building, put it that way, because he's just such a bubbly character.

"Then again, like I said, on the pitch, he's having a brilliant season and he's had a brilliant few seasons. Hopefully, having him back this weekend will be a massive boost, and hopefully he can help us out."

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Crystal Palace are close to agreeing a new four-year contract with wing-back Caleb Kporha.

The 18-year-old, whose current deal was due to expire this summer, made his first-team debut against Fulham in the Premier League in November last year.

The academy graduate then made his full debut for Palace just over a month later in the defeat by Arsenal in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

Kporha received his first call-up to the England U19 side this month and made his debut in the 0-0 draw against Turkey.

Kporha has been involved with Oliver Glasner's first-team squad for the majority of the season and has been back up to Daniel Munoz who has been crucial to the Eagles this campaign.

Palace play Fulham in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday as they look to try to reach the last four of the competition for the first time since 2022.

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Premier League clubs have agreed the dates for the summer transfer window.

The window will open early, between Sunday 1 June and Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the Fifa Club World Cup.

It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September.

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This is just the second time Fulham and Crystal Palace have met in the FA Cup, with the Eagles winning a second-round replay 1-0 in February 1907.

Fulham progressed from their first four FA Cup quarter-finals between 1957-58 and 2001-02, but have been eliminated in their four since.

Meanwhile, Palace have progressed from four of their past five FA Cup last-eight ties, only failing in 2018-19 against Watford in this run.

Crystal Palace are progressing in talks over a new deal for manager Oliver Glasner, amid interest in the Austrian from RB Leipzig. (Football Insider), external

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There's plenty to discuss at Crystal Palace - from Oliver Glasner's priorities next season to the future of Eberechi Eze.

So, we are opening the floor for you to put your questions to BBC Sport football news reporter Alex Howell.

Send them in below and he will dive into a selection.

Submit your questions here

Come back later in the week to see his answers