Crystal Palace U18s will look to build on their recent momentum when they host Premier League South newcomers Ipswich Town on Saturday (13th September, 12:00) – LIVE on Palace TV+.
Javier Alonso’s side come into the fixture off the back of a dramatic 3-2 victory away at Tottenham Hotspur, with Benji Casey netting his first hat-trick of the season in an impressive attacking display.
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The young Eagles’ win over Spurs marked their second victory from three matches in Premier League South, and maintained their unbeaten away record.
Palace currently sit second in the table on six points - just behind Arsenal, who lead the way with a perfect record of three wins from three.
Alonso’s side made a dream start to the campaign, recording a commanding 8-0 win over Birmingham City on the opening day.
A much sterner challenge followed against Chelsea, where goals from Benji Casey and Charlie Walker-Smith gave Palace a 2-1 lead, before a late turnaround saw the visitors take a cruel 4-2 win, sealed by a stoppage-time own goal.
In cup competition, Palace kicked off their Premier League Cup campaign with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Manchester City. The young Eagles flew into a 3-0 half-time lead, before being pegged back in the second-half.
Their resilience was on display once again in North London, where Casey’s clinical treble saw Palace come out on top in a hard-fought clash with Spurs.
Alonso promised attacking football and a competitive edge – and his team are already delivering on that vision. The focus now turns to Saturday’s meeting with Ipswich, where the aim will be to keep that momentum going.
Ipswich are competing in the U18 Premier League South for the first time in the club’s history, following their promotion to Category One academy status this summer.
Previously operating in the Professional Development League 2 - the second tier of U18 academy football - Ipswich finished ninth last season with 29 points from 31 matches.
Their elevation to the top tier is a significant step, and their young side, coached by David Wright and Matt Pooley, is now learning to adapt to the demands of top-class opposition.
As part of their preparation, the Blues competed in the Zlatý Kahan Tournament in Czechia during pre-season.
However, their transition has proven difficult in the early weeks. Ipswich currently sit 13th out of 15 teams with one point from four games. They're level on points with Birmingham City but boast a marginally superior goal difference. Local rivals Norwich City are currently bottom, yet to register a point.
Ipswich’s campaign began with a 5-0 home defeat to West Bromwich Albion, followed by a 4-0 loss to Fulham at Motspur Park. Despite those setbacks, there have been signs of growth.
In their most recent Premier League South fixture, the Blues came within minutes of securing a first win, drawing 1-1 with Reading after playing much of the second-half with 10 men.
Jackson Nsofor opened the scoring, and goalkeeper Josh Bentley saved a penalty before being sent off early in the second half. The visitors equalised deep into stoppage time.
In cup action, Ipswich were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Nottingham Forest in their U18 Premier League Cup group stage opener. They share a group with Sunderland and West Ham United.
Despite a tough start, Ipswich’s academy restructure and moments of resilience on the pitch point to a side still settling into the top-flight environment - but not one to be underestimated.
Ipswich will be without first-choice goalkeeper Bentley, who serves a suspension following his red card in the draw with Reading.
Defensively, Ipswich have struggled so far - conceding 10 goals in three league matches, the second-worst record in the division (only Birmingham have conceded more with 11).
At the other end of the pitch, goals have also been hard to come by - the Blues have found the net just once, again level with Birmingham as the league’s joint-lowest scorers.
Jackson Nsofor is the only Ipswich player to score in the league so far this season, having netted against Reading.
A forward with a keen eye for goal and the ability to link play, Nsofor has been with the club since 2022 and signed a new deal last summer. He’ll be the one to watch as a consistent attacking outlet for the visitors.
A former defender – and familiar face to Palace fans – David Wright made over 200 appearances for Crewe Alexandra and helped them to promotion to the First Division in 2002/03.
He went on to play over 100 times in the league for Ipswich between 2007 and 2010 and also represented Wigan, Norwich (loan), Palace, Gillingham (loan), and Colchester United.
Following his playing career, Wright moved into coaching with the Ipswich Town Academy in 2013, before joining Colchester United, where he also briefly managed Isthmian League side Maldon & Tiptree.
He later returned to youth development roles at Norwich City, managing both the U18s and U23s, and most recently served as Assistant First-Team Coach at MK Dons before rejoining Ipswich.
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Can’t watch live? Stay up to date with live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page and look out for the full match report on our Academy news section shortly after the final whistle.
