Crystal Palace’s academy sides face a busy Saturday, with the Under-18s welcoming Fulham before the Under-21s travel to Blackburn Rovers. Javier Alonso’s U18s kick off at 11:00 BST in the U18 Premier League South, while Darren Powell’s U21s begin their Premier League 2 fixture at midday.
Palace’s Under-21s remain unbeaten this season after drawing 0-0 with Arsenal and defeating Aston Villa 2-0, with Adler Nascimento and Benji Casey on target. They also recorded a 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Premier League International Cup and followed that with a 2-1 victory at Swindon Town in the EFL Trophy. Tarrell Cavell has been among the standout performers, registering three goals and an assist in his first four matches.
Blackburn are still seeking their first Premier League 2 points after defeats by Ipswich and Reading. Rovers did, however, beat QPR 4-2 in the Premier League Cup. Palace will also face a Blackburn squad featuring Harvey Higgins, who has scored in each of their last two U21 matches and has already made his Championship debut this season.
Alonso’s Under-18s began the campaign with a 3-1 win at West Ham United but have since suffered five straight defeats across league and cup competition. Their latest league loss came against Arsenal, despite Donte Martin having a goal disallowed and Raihaan Anderson hitting the crossbar. Palace responded in midweek by beating Reading 2-0 in the U17 Premier League Cup, having previously defeated Brighton in the competition.
Fulham are unbeaten in the U18 Premier League South and recently drew 2-2 with Tottenham after scoring in the 95th minute. Palace will therefore meet a side that has already shown resilience this season, with Fulham recovering from losing positions against Ipswich, Aston Villa and Chelsea.
The Under-21 meeting with Blackburn will be streamed live on Palace TV+, with coverage starting at 11:45 BST ahead of kick-off. The U18 fixture will not be streamed because of the scheduling clash, although supporters can follow updates through Palace’s Academy social channels, with match reports, reaction and highlights to follow on the club’s digital platforms.
