Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was left frustrated after his side’s defeat by Sunderland, saying the clubs board are “abandoning'” them and that he has “always kept his mouth” but no longer can because he wants to “defend his players”.
He adds that the team has had its “heart tore out” twice in the day before a game this season with Eberechi Eze’s move to Arsenal in the summer and captain Marc Guehi’s proposed move to Manchester City in the January transfer window.
Sam Kerr scored twice as holders Chelsea put five goals past WSL2 side Crystal Palace to reach the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup.
Millie Bright found an early opener for Sonia Bompastor’s side, nodding in a corner at the back post to take the lead in the 13th minute.
The Blues made it 3-0 by the half-hour mark, with Kerr coolly rolling the ball under Shae Yanez after being slipped through by Erin Cuthbert before Guro Reiten converted from the penalty spot.
The 32-year-old Australian added another in the 52nd minute when she headed in a Reiten cross, before Alyssa Thompson provided Chelsea’s fifth.
Sunderland, the other WSL2 side in action on Saturday, were also unable to cause an upset as they were beaten by London City Lionesses.
London City were dominant throughout but managed to produce few chances against a Sunderland side who set up well at the back and reduced the available space.
With open-play opportunities being limited, it took a set piece for the visitors to find the game’s only goal in the 50th minute as Wassa Sangare met a corner at the near post and sent a headed effort over Grace Moloney.
The draw for the fifth round will take place on Monday, 19 January.
Glasner congregated all his players and staff at the club’s training ground just before noon on Friday.
What arrived did not necessarily shock the players, they all had to have been living under a rock not to know their manager was very likely leaving in the summer.
The timing, though, got tongues wagging. Why now?
Prior to his announcement to the players, his captain Guehi had confirmed his intention to join Manchester City.
Glasner is one of Guehi’s biggest supporters, he will continue to be when they part ways.
It was always the Austrian’s intention for him and his captain to leave at the end of the season, but with Guehi’s departure thrust forward it is, perhaps, no surprise that he has taken the decision to confirm his intention to go now, too.
Nevertheless, the cracks between Glasner and the Palace hierarchy began showing in the summer.
The Austrian coach had been vocal in his frustration at the lack of transfer incomings. The club signed only back-up left-back Borna Sosa and number two keeper Walter Benitez before the final week of the window, by which point the season was already under way.
They targeted a move for Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande, but the club never got close to reaching an agreement.
Glasner was steadfast in his belief that the club should capitalise on last season’s euphoric FA Cup triumph by building a squad capable of pushing up the Premier League, but also one that could cope with the demands of playing European football for the first time.
Eventually, Palace signed Yeremy Pino in a deal worth £26m while young players Christantus Uche and Jaydee Canvot also arrived.
But Uche and Canvot have hardly played, with Glasner largely relying on the same squad as he did last season with minimal rotation, a squad that lost key player Eberechi Eze to Arsenal.
Palace started the season brightly, with many tipping a push for a Champions League place.
But Glasner feared trouble was round the corner. The coach is adept at juggling domestic and European football – he won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 after all.
Some behind the scenes believe his apprehension to rotate the team provided a clear indication that it was his intention not renew his contract.
“It’s been like he has been getting his pound of flesh from the players because he knows he is leaving anyway,” said one source.
Eventually Glasner’s concerns came to fruition. They are currently nine matches without a victory, their latest defeat arriving last Saturday against non-league Macclesfield as their efforts to retain the FA Cup came to an embarrassing end.
They are currently 13th in the Premier League heading into this weekend’s game at Sunderland.
Preventing Guehi from joining Liverpool in a deal worth £35m in the summer did represent somewhat of a victory for Glasner, who was adamant all along that the defender should not be sold even if it meant the club would lose him for nothing this summer.
Although denied by Glasner, a number of sources have indicated that the 51-year-old would have considered his position immediately had Palace sold Guehi in the summer.
Even after Glasner informed Parish of his intention to step down over dinner in October, you sensed Palace had not given up hope of somehow persuading their manager to U-turn.
For example, the club record signing of Brennan Johnson is said to have been driven by the Austrian.
Equally, Parish is understood to have played a key role in ensuring Johnson arrived early in the January window to deliver for his manager, which many interpreted as an attempt at trying to convince Glasner that the club were prioritising strengthening the squad with his imprint.
That said, Palace have been active in identifying potential candidates to replace Glasner in the summer.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The Austrian, 51, will leave as a Palace legend having led the Eagles to their first major trophy when they beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup last season.
That victory meant Glasner also took charge of Palace in this season’s Conference League – their first experience of a major European competition – while they beat Liverpool on penalties in August’s Community Shield.
Manchester City are preparing to make an offer for Crystal Palace and England centre-back Marc Guehi, 25, before the end of the January transfer window, but are unlikely to meet Palace’s asking price of above £35 million. (Talksport), external
But Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has been making calls in recent days to try to convince Guehi to join them in the summer. (Sky Germany), external
Despite the departure of head coach Ruben Amorim, Manchester United do not plan to bring back England forward Marcus Rashford, 28, when his loan spell at Barcelona ends. (Talksport), external
Bournemouth are continuing talks with Ferencvaros over a deal for Hungary midfielder Alex Toth, 20, after their initial £8.6m offer was rejected. (Sky Sports), external
Newcastle are considering signing a defender this month after England full-back Tino Livramento, 23, suffered a hamstring injury that will sideline him for eight weeks. (Sky Sports), external
Liverpool will not offload England defender Joe Gomez, 28, this month after Northern Ireland right-back Conor Bradley, 22, suffered a season-ending knee injury. (Football Insider), external
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is one of Real Madrid’s top candidates to succeed Xabi Alonso as boss, with Antonio Conte and Enzo Maresca also being considered. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Macclesfield chairman Rob Smethurst says he feels like his side “won the FA Cup” with their third-round win over holders Crystal Palace on Saturday – and admitted he was “first on” as fans invaded the pitch at full-time.
The Silkmen beat their Premier League opponents 2-1 despite ranking 117 places below them, creating the biggest shock in the competition’s history in terms of difference in league position.
Paul Dawson’s header in the first half sent the home fans into dreamland, before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts shocked Palace further when he delivered a second after the break.
The final whistle prompted scenes of jubilation as fans raced on to the pitch to celebrate.
“I legged it!” Smethurst told BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday.
“I thought this is going to happen and I thought you know what I’m going on! I thought I need to hug my players here, I probably was first on and caused havoc.”
He added: “It was just amazing for Macclesfield. I know the lads were partying until three, four o’clock in the morning. I mean the scenes for the town and the community yesterday was just one of those experiences that I’m never going to forget.
“I was home early believe it or not. I got myself back and watched it all over again. Amazing scenes. For me I think we won the FA Cup yesterday.”
FA Cup holders and Premier League club Crystal Palace are beaten 2-1 by team six leagues lower, Macclesfield Town.
Published On 10 Jan 202610 Jan 2026
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Minnow Macclesfield Town beat title holder Crystal Palace 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history to reach the fourth round.
Macclesfield is a team playing in the sixth tier of English football, five levels below its Premier League opponent, and took the lead on Saturday when captain Paul Dawson headed in a cross from Luke Duffy in the 43rd minute.
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Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th, prompting wild celebrations.
Following a scramble in the penalty area the ball pinged to Buckley-Ricketts, who came through the Manchester City academy, and he deftly clipped the ball with the outside of his right foot past goalkeeper Walter Benítez.
Macclesfield is coached by John Rooney, who started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club and is in only his first season coaching. He is the younger brother of former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.
Yeremy Pino curled in a last-minute free kick over the wall to leave Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans broke out into chants of “Silkmen! Silkmen!” — the club’s nickname.
General view as Macclesfield Town’s fans and players celebrate on the pitch after the match at Moss Rose [Chris Radburn/Reuters]
Macclesfield held on against a Palace side whose dismal afternoon was summed up when United States central defender Chris Richards did a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time, giving possession back to Macclesfield.
The fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose – a modest 5,900-capacity stadium in northwest England – in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.
The FA Cup has long been regarded as the greatest cup competition in the world, with a long history of giant killings.
Macclesfield, toppling the holders, sits towards the top of those achievements and may well come to be regarded as the most famous yet with Palace having enjoying a successful campaign in the English top flight this season where they at one stage were challenging for the Champions League qualification positions.
Macclesfield are currently 14th, 11 points above the relegation zone, in National League North – two leagues below professional level in English football.
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi looks dejected after the match as Macclesfield fans take to the field to celebrate with players [Jason Cairnduff/Reuters]
Shortly after adjusting the bandages on his head after picking up an injury early in the match, Paul Dawson nods home Macclesfield’s opener to put them ahead against Crystal Palace.
It is the stuff of dreams for the lowest-ranked team left in the FA Cup to take on the holders in the third round. When Macclesfield host Crystal Palace on Saturday it will be one of the biggest days in their recent history, but one also tinged with sadness.
On 16 December, Silkmen forward Ethan McLeod died in a car accident while travelling back from Macclesfield’s National League North match at Bedford Town.
Rather than travel on the team bus back to Cheshire, McLeod was driving himself back to the Midlands after the 2-1 victory in which he was an unused substitute.
The rest of the squad were held up in gridlocked traffic after the crash on the M1, but it wasn’t until the next day they learned their team-mate was involved.
Macclesfield’s first game after McLeod’s death was postponed, but the club have played three league matches since.
Saturday’s FA Cup tie is a huge occasion for a club that reformed in 2020 after Macclesfield Town were wound up in the high court. But manager John Rooney said recent events have put things into perspective.
Rooney took it upon himself to contact every member of the squad when the news was confirmed.
“Nothing can prepare you for that,” Rooney told BBC Sport. “When you have to ring every player individually and tell them, I can’t explain what it felt like.
“I wanted to take that on. I didn’t want people ringing different players. I wanted to be the one to tell that news. I thought that was the right thing to do at the time.
“I don’t think many managers will ever have to speak to the lads and let them know what happened with their friend. It is the hardest thing I have ever done and will ever have to do.”
A flag with a photo of McLeod hangs between the dugouts where Rooney and his Palace counterpart Oliver Glasner will stand on Saturday, alongside the words ‘Forever a Silkman’, while there is a book of condolence to sign in the club bar.
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.
“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.
“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.
“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen – as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”
Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.
The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.
“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.
“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”
The mood inside the Etihad at full-time felt like one of deflation rather than the expected elation, as City failed to win successive games for only the second time this season.
Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their past 10 games in all competitions, but the draws in their past two could be significant come the end of the season.
Arsenal are aiming for a first top-flight triumph in more than two decades, while City are looking to reclaim the crown having failed to win silverware last season – the results in the first week of 2026 feel important when considering where the title could end up.
Despite going ahead City could not hold on against a stubborn Chelsea side led by interim manager Calum McFarlane, the under-21s coach who was taking charge of his first senior game and denied Guardiola all three points.
“It’s a brilliant result for Chelsea, with no manager,” former City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Sport. “And it is a brilliant result and week for Arsenal, who are now six points clear.
“City dropping four points in the last two games is huge at this time of the season. We always say Christmas and new year, with such a busy schedule, is so important and it’s not been a great festive period for Manchester City.”
Erling Haaland has had a prolific campaign scoring 38 goals for club and country this season, but he has now failed to net in his past three games, which has proved pivotal.
The Norwegian was shackled for long periods by the Chelsea backline and struck the post in the first half, while in the second he had little joy as the home side looked to double their lead.
But they were unable to be clinical enough in the final third and Fernandez’s late equaliser not only snatched a draw for Chelsea but ruined a clean sheet for City and handed the initiative to Arsenal.
“Manchester City will be kicking themselves,” ex-City defender Micah Richards said on Sky Sports. “They know they should’ve had three points today with the chances they created.
“They are normally more ruthless. You are looking at it thinking, ‘what has changed?’ Haaland’s not scored in a few games, Phil Foden had near misses, Rayan Cherki looking very tricky but not the final product. They’ve only got themselves to blame today.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville added on Sky Sports: “Pep Guardiola could smell it. The City fans could smell it. I don’t think Chelsea could though. City needed to make it 2-0.
“It was a big goal for Chelsea – and a big goal for Arsenal.”
Brennan Johnson will meet Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner on Thursday before making a final decision on whether to complete a £35m move from Tottenham.
BBC Sport understands the growing expectation is for the deal to be completed, but the talks will be pivotal towards the transfer’s successful progression.
Palace have agreed the fee with Tottenham to sign the 24-year-old forward but are still waiting for the green light to conclude the deal.
Wales international Johnson’s talks with Glasner will centre around the player’s role in the team and the club’s future and ambitions to ensure all parties are aligned.
If talks are successful, Johnson is expected to sign for Palace in the coming days.
It’s time to peer into my crystal ball to see what 2026 has in store for the Southland’s high school athletes (and a few former ones), coaches and fans:
JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, armed with passports from the United States, Israel and Australia, will soar so far past 7 feet in the high jump that national organizations from three different countries will fight to have him represent their team. …
Striker Pence, a sophomore pitcher at Corona Santiago with a 100-mph fastball, will receive an endorsement deal from a radar gun company. …
The UCLA-USC women’s basketball games will have so many celebrities and former players wanting to be seen that TMZ won’t need to pay for video. …
The high school soccer debut of incoming freshman Zoe Thompson, sister of Alyssa and Giselle, will be so big that Harvard-Westlake will need to give out red bibs to photographers to identify who’s real media. …
Norco junior shortstop Dylan Seward will hit for the cycle. …
Jaden Soong celebrates after winning the Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship at Saticoy Club in Somis on July 11, 2024.
(SCGA)
St. Francis sophomore golfer Jaden Soong will win a second straight CIF championship, then have to answer the same question over and over, “When are you turning pro?” …
Gary Morse, a 6-foot-8 senior pitcher at Orange Lutheran, should be one of the best in the Southland in 2026.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Orange Lutheran 6-foot-8 senior pitcher Gary Morse will throw a no-hitter, then find a hoop and celebrate with a dunk. …
Sophomore catcher Jordan Lindsay (left) and sophomore pitcher Carlos Acuna will be key players for Birmingham in 2026.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
The Birmingham sophomore pitcher/catcher duo of Carlos Acuna and Jordan Lindsay will lead the Patriots to the City Section baseball title, then celebrate with a dogpile at Dodger Stadium in which the 6-2, 200-pound Lindsay protects Acuna from being suffocated at the bottom by teammates. …
Santa Margarita shortstop Brody Schumaker (left) and his father, Skip, the manager of the Texas Rangers.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Santa Margarita’s Brody Schumaker, who had eight bunt singles last season, will be asked by his father, Skip, the new manager of the Texas Rangers, to show off his bunting skills at spring training. …
Brian Prince of Cathedral will break 47 seconds in the 400 meters. …
Rickee Luevano of Sylmar and Xavier Allen of Carson will battle to be the home run champion in the City Section. …
Eastvale Roosevelt’s Aubrey McLaughlin, who won a gold medal playing for the Team USA U-18 softball team in the World Cup, will break out her new jewelry for a showdown game against Norco. …
All-City linebackers De’Andre Kirkpatrick of Crenshaw and Elyjah Staples of Marquez will become among the first City Section players to receive NIL deals. …
You always know someone is an old time baseball coach when you see a pencil attached to an ear. Some kids don’t know what a pencil is. Cypress’ John Weber. pic.twitter.com/FWcpNdA2Jk
Cypress baseball coach John Weber will receive an NIL deal from a pencil company because he’s always walking around with a pencil tucked behind his ear. …
The amazing Jaden Walk-Green of Corona Centennial will try anything. 10 interceptions as a junior. Snowboarder. Starting center fielder. Now he’s on the mound. pic.twitter.com/3QBbu8XCb8
Corona Centennial’s All-CIF defensive back Jaden Walk-Green, who also starts in center field for the baseball team, will show so much promise snowboarding that he’ll decide to seek an Olympic Games berth in 2028. …
George Hastings of Agoura will try to play every position in a football game this season. …
There will be so many quarterbacks transferring that MaxPreps’ digital rosters will go down from too many clicks. …
PlayOn, which owns MaxPreps, GoFan and the NFHS Network, will go for a California prep sports monopoly by bidding for the CIF state playoffs contract that runs out in June. …
Offensive lineman Elisha Mueller of Servite.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Offensive lineman Elisha Mueller of Servite will record so many pancake blocks that IHOP will sign him to promote a week of all-you-can eat pancakes for anyone who weighs 280 pounds and up. . . .
A basketball official, tired of hearing a parent complain about his calls, will stop the game, give his whistle to the parent and dare him to take over. …
Louis Lappe, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo walk-off home run off Curacao’s Jay-Dlynn Wiel during the sixth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game iin 2023.
Shohei Ohtani will be spotted working out at a high school baseball field, causing multiple helicopters to be dispatched to provide commentary like an L.A. car chase. …
USC will resolve any red-zone scoring deficiencies by installing freshman Trent Mosley at wildcat quarterback. …
Former Granada Hills pitcher Easton Hawk will be UCLA’s closer this season.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Former Granada Hills pitcher Easton Hawk will become the long-sought standout closer to lead UCLA to the NCAA baseball title. …
With four Southern California players on its roster, led by Sherman Oaks Notre Dame grad Ella Parker, Oklahoma’s softball team will hold a beach day at practice to make sure its SoCal players are not feeling homesick. …
Freshman tight end Austin Miller of Bellflower will be the first to motivate new UCLA coach Bob Chesney to drop by campus for a personal introduction. …
Valencia sophomore quarterback Evan McCalister will be a breakout passing star. …
After nine consecutive years of Northern California teams losing in the CIF Open Division state championship bowl final, the CIF will agree to allow postseason transfers to De La Salle or San Mateo Serra so they can be competitive. …
Huntington Beach surfer Bailey Turner, shows her medals after returning from the ISA World Junior Surf Championships in Peru.
(Don Leach/Staff Photographer)
Bailey Turner of Huntington Beach, the ISA World Junior Surf Championhip winner, will continue her preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games by riding one big wave after another. …
After the Cleveland Browns’ Carson Schwesinger is named defensive rookie of the year, all the people who didn’t rate him highly at Oaks Christian during his high school days will use magic markers to update their star rankings.
Brennan Johnson is set decide whether he wants to join Crystal Palace after the south London club agreed a £35m deal to sign the Tottenham attacker.
BBC Sport revealed on 18 December that the Eagles were advanced in their efforts to land the Wales international but decided not to make a formal move until after the two clubs faced each other in the Premier League on Sunday.
There is now an agreement between the clubs for Johnson to move across London.
However, the 24-year-old is yet to agree to join the Selhurst Park club.
Johnson is set for talks over his future in the next 48 hours, amid interest from other Premier League sides.
Tottenham are in the market for a new attacker this January which would limit Johnson’s opportunities even more.
It is understood that they have an interest in Red Bull Leipzig’s winger Yan Diomande, 19, and Manchester City attacker Savinho, 21.
