Sabasports Match Preview
Premier League: Crystal Palace vs Sunderland
Kickoff Time: 2025-09-13 22:00 (HKT)
Source: REUTERS/ Craig Brough
After three rounds of league play, Crystal Palace remains one of the three unbeaten teams in the Premier League, showing no signs of being affected by the departure of their offensive core, Eberechi Eze. Due to their involvement in European competitions, Crystal Palace assembled early for preseason, and their summer training has yielded significant results. The team first defeated Liverpool to win the English Community Shield, then held a star-studded Chelsea to a draw in the league. In the UEFA Europa Conference League, they eliminated Norwegian powerhouse Fredrikstad to advance to the main stage, demonstrating excellent form. Currently, Crystal Palace has conceded only one goal, making them one of the best defensive teams in the Premier League. Considering they were the lowest-spending Premier League team in the summer transfer window, this achievement is particularly impressive. Statistically, Crystal Palace’s strength lies in the off-the-ball movement of their midfielders, averaging 13.7 tackles per game (ranked first in the league) and 33.7 clearances per game (ranked fourth in the league). Once they regain possession, the team quickly transitions into counterattacks to threaten the opponent.
Sunderland, newly promoted this season, spent €188 million in the summer transfer window, with a net transfer expenditure of €139 million, ranking fifth in the league, behind traditional powerhouses like Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. The team has brought in several stars with Premier League experience, such as former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, former West Ham United defender Arthur Masuaku, and Chelsea center-forward Marc Guiu. Based on their season performance, Sunderland’s transfer strategy appears successful, with two wins and one loss so far. If they maintain this momentum, the team has a good chance of avoiding relegation. Statistically, Sunderland’s only standout metric is their average of 18.7 successful aerial duels per game (ranked third in the league). However, they average only 2.3 successful dribbles per game, placing them near the bottom of the league. This indicates that Sunderland heavily relies on aerial tactics in their matches. For example, in their 3-0 victory over West Ham United in the opening round, 66% of their goals came from headers.
Crystal Palace boasts several tall players, such as 1.92-meter center-forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, 1.90-meter center-back Maxence Lacroix, and 1.88-meter center-back Chris Richards. Against Crystal Palace, Sunderland’s aerial tactics may lose their effectiveness. In this matchup, Crystal Palace is unlikely to miss the opportunity to secure all three points.
Crystal Palace‘s Last 5 Games: WDDWD
25-09-01 Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace
25-08-29 Fredrikstad 0-0 Crystal Palace
25-08-24 Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest
25-08-22 Crystal Palace 1-0 Fredrikstad
25-08-17 Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace
Sunderland’s Last 5 Games: WDLWD
25-08-30 Sunderland 2-1 Brentford
25-08-27 Sunderland 1-1 Huddersfield Town (PEN 5-6)
25-08-23 Burnley 2-0 Sunderland
25-08-16 Sunderland 3-0 West Ham United
25-07-20 Sunderland 1-1 Sevilla
Head-To-Head Record
17-02-04 Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland
16-09-24 Sunderland 2-3 Crystal Palace
16-03-02 Sunderland 2-2 Crystal Palace
15-11-24 Crystal Palace 0-1 Sunderland
15-04-11 Sunderland 1-4 Crystal Palace
Prediction: Crystal Palace to win