This is an extract of The Score. Sign-up up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning with Daniel Storey’s verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs.
A wonderful argument for the mechanics of your season making a massive difference to the mood of the place.
In late November, Crystal Palace were 19th in the Premier League table, having won one league match. There were questions (almost all from outside the fanbase) about Oliver Glasner’s future as manager and Palace’s ability to stay up after selling Michael Olise.
Since drawing at home to Newcastle United on the final day of November, Palace sit fourth in the Premier League table, having played one game less than the teams around them in that table.
Were they to win that game in hand, only Liverpool would have more points. They have completed their first top-flight league double over Brighton and they are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. They won two of their first 13 home league games of the season and have now won three on the spin. Life is good.
In their 11 Premier League seasons since promotion, Palace have achieved a points total in the 40s every time and have finished between 10th and 15th every time. And here’s the thing: Palace are 11th in the Premier League now. They do have a very good shot at hitting the 50s, but they are roughly going to finish where they always finish.
Which is what makes the specifics and timings of this campaign so important. If you aren’t going to shift your reality entirely (and the intricacies of Palace’s ownership model and the economics of the Premier League make that very hard), you might as well try to have some fun. So far, 2025 has been a very fun year indeed.
This is an extract of The Score. Sign-up up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning with Daniel Storey’s verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs.
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