Since his recent re-appointment as permanent manager of his beloved Crystal Palace, last season’s relegation-beating talisman Roy Hodgson has begun tuning up his troops for the challenges of the 2023-24 campaign.
With the South London club’s stated aim set as cracking the Premier League’s top 10, Hodgson will be seeking a fast start when his Eagles side visited promoted Sheffield United on the opening day, and an extensive pre-season programme has been planned to prime them for kickoff on August 12.
After a youthful Palace selection were beaten at Barnet in their first game following the break, a more familiar XI started in Saturday’s contest with Brondby. Goals from Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Jean-Philippe Mateta twice put the home team ahead, but the Danish side replied on both occasions and a lively 90 minutes ended in a 2-2 draw.
After Hodgson was able to give a number of recently returned internationals their first pre-season minutes – of which more will follow on Wednesday – the intensity soon steps up a notch, as Palace host Championship outfit Watford before journeying to the US, where they will meet Millonarios and Sevilla.
Finally, a game against Ligue 1 giants Lyon awaits on the Eagles’ return to Selhurst Park, ahead of that all-important first-day clash at Bramall Lane.
Crawley have also benefited from two run-outs so far this summer, and the League Two club began their schedule with victory at East Grinstead Town: strikes from Nick Tsaroulla
and Florian Kastrati ensuring a winning start to pre-season.Scott Lindsey’s side then saw their dominance against local minnows Three Bridges Town rewarded by Danilo Orsi’s brace in another 2-1 win last Saturday.
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Despite conceding a late goal to their Isthmian League hosts, Crawley continued building momentum ahead of next month’s competitive return, with Bradford City set to visit Broadfield Stadium on August 5.
Aiming to offer his whole squad an opportunity to impress, Lindsey picked two separate XIs for either half of both fixtures last week – including several new signings and a handful of trialists – but when Premier League opposition come to town he will surely select something like his strongest team.
Crawley only survived the drop down to National League football last term by winning two and drawing two of their last five matches, so competing well with a top-flight side would boost hopes of faring far better in the upcoming campaign.
