Crystal Palace begins the 2026-27 Premier League season in a state of transition following the unexpected exit of manager Oliver Glasner. Glasner, who recently guided the club to its first major trophy in history by winning the Conference League in May, left the club in July to take over at Nottingham Forest. This move has caused significant frustration among the Palace fanbase, particularly given the perceived rivalry between the two clubs.

As the team prepares for the new season, internal predictions from The Guardian suggest a difficult road ahead. The collective forecast from their writing staff places Crystal Palace in 16th position, a slight decline from their 15th-place finish in the previous campaign. The departure of a manager who had delivered unprecedented success within a 12-month period has left the club searching for stability. While the team celebrated a historic European triumph just months ago, the current atmosphere is defined by the challenge of replacing a high-performing coach and managing the disappointment of his departure to a direct league competitor.