Wolves Improve Under Edwards Pre Palace Clash

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Crystal Palace host Wolves in the Premier League on Sunday with both clubs under pressure, but for very different reasons. Palace chase European progress while form dips badly, and Wolves fight to extend a recent lift in confidence despite sitting bottom and facing near-certain Championship football next season.

Recent results suggest Wolves arrive sharper than their league position shows. Rob Edwards’ side reached the FA Cup fifth round by beating Grimsby Town at Blundell Park, then fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with leaders Arsenal, making top-versus-bottom history in the process.

That comeback at Arsenal marked the first time in Premier League history that a side starting the day bottom avoided defeat against the team starting top after trailing by two goals. Edwards believes that response, plus the FA Cup progress, has changed the atmosphere around the squad.

"I feel like we've been competing well, and I feel like there's a good energy around the place," Edwards told reporters. "Two good results and we showed a lot of good character in both and that's what we're going to need in abundance going forward for the rest of the season."

The Wolves head coach still expects a hard task at Selhurst Park. "They're good. They're playing in Europe for a reason. I know I said it in the first game, Oliver Glasner is a brilliant manager, he's done a brilliant job," Edwards added. "They've got loads of good players, so it will be a really difficult game as always away from home."

Palace enter the fixture after a flat European outing. Glasner’s team drew 1-1 with Zrinjski in the first leg of their Conference League play-off, extending a poor sequence that now shows only one win from the last 15 matches in all competitions, intensifying scrutiny around the Austrian coach.

Reports indicate Palace’s board decided not to sack Glasner, who is scheduled to depart at the end of the season. Glasner admitted doubts during another stark press conference, yet still warned against underestimating Wolves, with 22 points separating the clubs before kick-off despite Wolves’ recent improvement.

"When we played them away, I mentioned before that they were playing better than all their results, but they were in this negative run, and it was so tough for them," he said. "I still think they have many good players. They showed it against Arsenal. Also, they showed great belief after being 2-0 down, coming back. They are now quite consistent in the way they are playing. Consistency always helps. They got a few players back from long-term injuries, now being more in the rhythm. It is a good mix of physicality in the back three and the striker,pace in the wing-back positions, and two Brazilian internationals in centre midfieldso they are a good team."

Crystal Palace vs Wolves key players and attacking threats

Former Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen is a major focus for Crystal Palace. Strand Larsen scored 15 goals in 57 Premier League games for Wolves, including one in 22 this season, before moving, and now meets the old club while trying to rescue Palace’s attack during this difficult spell.

The Norwegian has been more effective in limited minutes for Palace. Strand Larsen has already scored twice in 180 minutes of league football for Palace this season, surpassing the single goal managed in 1,405 minutes for Wolves, and mirrors the kind of impact Henrikh Mkhitaryan delivered against former club Manchester United in 2017-18.

For Wolves, Hugo Bueno offers an important threat from deeper positions. Bueno scored a spectacular first Premier League goal against Arsenal and impressed across the pitch, winning nine duels and making 10 ball recoveries, with only Yerson Mosquera and Ladislav Krejci matching or beating Bueno’s involvement in possession.

Crystal Palace vs Wolves historical record and Opta prediction

Historical meetings strongly favour Crystal Palace, especially at Selhurst Park. Palace have won the last five Premier League home games against Wolves, their best such streak against any top-flight opponent, and they last recorded six straight home league wins over a single club against Walsall between 1977 and 2004.

Home form this season tells a different story. Palace are winless in eight Premier League home matches, drawing three and losing five, their longest top-flight home drought at Selhurst Park since a 15-game run in 1997-98. Only 12 of Palace’s 32 league points, or 37.5%, have come at home.

Struggles on the road define Wolves’ campaign. Edwards’ side have not won any of their last 15 Premier League away fixtures, drawing four and losing 11, and are the only club across England’s top four divisions without an away league victory this season, while losing eight of the last 10 league meetings with Palace.

Wolves’ poor record in London adds to that picture. They have won just once in 11 away league trips to London clubs since the start of last season, drawing two and losing eight, with the sole victory coming against Fulham in a 4-1 success in November 2024, underlining the scale of Sunday’s challenge.

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{TABLE_1} should present the Opta win probability figures for Crystal Palace vs Wolves. Crystal Palace are given a 61% chance of victory, the draw is rated at 20.5%, and Wolves’ probability stands at 18.5%, reflecting Palace’s historical edge despite current problems and Wolves’ recent uplift in performance levels.