Crystal Palace closed 2025 with a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham at Selhurst Park, yet Oliver Glasner still labelled the calendar year the best in the club’s history. Archie Gray’s first-half strike sealed Palace’s
third straight Premier League loss, a run last seen in October 2024, and dropped the team to ninth place in the table.
The setback followed a difficult recent spell that also featured an EFL Cup quarter-final exit against Arsenal on penalties. Despite that frustration, Palace’s squad and staff view 2025 as a landmark period, shaped by domestic silverware and a first campaign in European group football, achievements that have altered expectations around Selhurst Park.
Glasner’s side lifted the FA Cup in May, defeating Manchester City 1-0 to secure Crystal Palace’s first major trophy. The momentum continued in August with victory over Liverpool in the Community Shield, adding a second piece of silverware and underlining Palace’s growing status among England’s leading clubs after decades without honours.
European competition then arrived as another milestone. Domestic success carried Crystal Palace into the Conference League for the first time, where Glasner guided the squad through the group stage and into the knockouts. He told BBC Sport: "[We played] 37 games, [took] 59 points, winning two trophies playing in the knockout stage of European footballI think it was by far the best season in Crystal Palace's history. "
Glasner welcomed that progress but stressed the need for improvement to remain competitive across all fronts. "We are missing little things that are important to stay where we are," said the 51-year-old. It feels, in Glasner’s view, that Crystal Palace are close to establishing themselves among the clubs regularly fighting for trophies and European qualification.
Midfielder Will Hughes urged everyone linked with the club to move past the emotion of the recent defeats and judge the year as a whole. Hughes said: "It's hard to see that now, being emotional after the game, but I think we'll take a step back and look it over the next few days, going into the new year and look back on the year as a whole and see it as very successful for Palace. [Its] unprecedented in terms of what we've done, the trophies we've won, so right now it's hard to see it like that after the result, but I'm sure this week we'll see it. "
Defeat at Selhurst. pic.twitter.com/ykRZy484yXCrystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) December 28, 2025
Crystal Palace key numbers and competitions in 2025
Across all competitions in 2025, Crystal Palace’s record highlighted both consistency and room for growth. The club collected 59 league points across 37 matches within the calendar year, while contesting domestic cups and European fixtures. That workload tested squad depth but also demonstrated how Palace coped with competing on several fronts for the first sustained spell.
Palace’s main challenge late in the year has been in attack, with only one Premier League goal scored across the last three fixtures. Glasner has made clear that January business is a priority, especially in forward positions. He believes extra quality in the final third is vital if Crystal Palace are to match the standards set by their defensive structure.
Glasner pointed to the underlying data when explaining those concerns. "You just need to look at the stats, he said. We are the team that are constantly underperforming in scoring goals when we create a lot, but nobody does it on purpose. We need to get this fixed. " Those figures have strengthened the manager’s case for reinforcements during the winter transfer window.
Uncertainty also surrounds the future of Marc Guehi. Crystal Palace resisted interest from Liverpool during the summer, but the England defender has now entered the final six months of a contract at Selhurst Park. Decisions around Guehi, and any potential fee or extension, could shape how Palace refresh the squad while still protecting the core of a successful 2025 team.
As 2026 approaches, Crystal Palace balance disappointment from recent results with pride in long-awaited honours and European progress. The FA Cup win over Manchester City, the Community Shield success against Liverpool and a place in the Conference League knockouts ensure 2025 stands out, while recruitment and key contract calls will decide whether those levels can be repeated.
