Crystal Palace travel to France for a stern Europa League test against Lyon on Thursday evening.
Palace's preparations are boosted by the likely return of goalkeeper Dean Henderson and defender Axel Disasi. Their availability provides a welcome lift for a squad that remains without several first-team players, including Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jefferson Lerma and Chadi Riad. The full list of absentees can be tracked on the club's injuries page.
The Eagles head into the contest on the back of a convincing 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend. Daichi Kamada, Jefferson Lerma and Yéremy Pino were on the scoresheet, with Adam Wharton providing an assist. That result lifted Palace to 12th in the Premier League table, where they have seven points from six matches. Their next domestic assignment is a tough trip to face third-placed Brighton on Sunday, a fixture detailed in our fixtures list.
European form and approach
Crystal Palace began their European campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Lech Poznań last month. Maintaining that momentum on the road is a key objective. The midfield partnership of Adam Wharton and Quinten Timber will be central to controlling the tempo, while the team aims to stay compact defensively and exploit opportunities on the break.
Lyon, managed by Pierre Sage, present a formidable challenge. They opened their group with a 2-1 win at Anderlecht and are in decent domestic form, having beaten Rennes 4-0 recently. However, they may be without striker Loïs Openda, who suffered a leg injury in a 2-1 loss to Lens. Palace's recent away form shows they are unbeaten in two consecutive matches on the road.
With a busy schedule ahead, managing the squad will be vital. The club's current standings across competitions reflect a solid start to the season. The trip to Lyon offers a chance to build a strong position in Group G before attention turns back to the Premier League. The match kicks off at 16:45 UK time on Thursday, 15 October.
Key data and context
Their current Premier League position of 12th with seven points is built on a goal difference of minus one, having scored eight goals and conceded nine in their six league matches so far. The team will look to carry the confidence from their recent performances into this key European fixture.
