Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s goalscoring woes would be put to rest if Hodgson manages to sign this fiery 26-year-old hitman
Crystal Palace Opinion: Why the Eagles should go for Khouma Babacar?
Back in January 2018, the Guardian claimed Crystal Palace were closing on Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar. However, the move didn’t materialise then and he joined Sassuolo on loan, before making the move permanent from Fiorentina last summer.
Babacar, 26, was reasonably productive in Serie A last season. He found the back of the net seven times from 29 league appearances, while also contributing with two assists. His stock has fallen due to a hot and cold 2018/19 campaign in the Serie A and the time could be ripe for Crystal Palace to reignite their interest in the Senegalese hitman.
If the Eagles had one issue this past season, that was their serious lack of firepower. They struggled to score goals consistently, with January loanee Michy Batshuayi outscoring the likes of Christian Benteke, Jordan Ayew, Connor Wickham and Aleksandar Sorloth combined.
Things need to change next season, with a new striker absolutely needed over the summer. It’s where Khouma Babacar walks into the team and with time, the 26-year-old certainly will be able to make a big impact. The Senegalese has the physical strength and other attributes required to thrive in the Premier League. His presence would surely enhance Crystal Palace’s front-line.
Considering that Benteke, Wickham and Ayew mustered just three Premier League goals across the entirety of 2019, Babacar would apparently be an upgrade over all of them. Standing at 6ft 3in tall, the Senegalese international can dominate games aerially and outmuscle defenders in the box to score goals.
He has good pace to burn and is agile enough for a player of such stature, making him a complete nuisance for the opposition defenders. A prolific goalscorer in the Serie A, the 26-year-old has hit a rough patch with Sassuolo and a change of environment could get him back firing on all cylinders, which is why Crystal Palace should make a move for him.
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With his finishing abilities and the predatory instincts in front of goal, Babacar would be perfect to lead the Eagles attack and thrive alongside the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend. All in all, he has the potential to be a brilliant addition to the South London club’s frontline.
Verdict
Signing Babacar from Sassuolo is important as he could hold the key of firing Crystal Palace into the top half of the table next term.
Crystal Palace have announced the departure of midfielder Shanade Hopcroft, who leaves the club at the end of her contract. The 28 year old previously signed a short term extension at the start of the season but will now seek a new challenge elsewhere.
Hopcroft joined Crystal Palace in summer 2023 after leaving capital rivals London City Lionesses. The midfielder played a starring role as The Eagles won the Barclays WSL2 title in 2023-24, securing long awaited promotion to the Barclays Women’s Super League.
Injury Struggles Limited Top Flight Appearances
Hopcroft’s top tier game time was severely limited after suffering rotten luck with injuries. She was able to turn out for Crystal Palace in the WSL on just three occasions before the club’s relegation back to the Championship.
The midfielder has been a regular in the Crystal Palace side this season and returned to good form. She helped the team gradually get their season back on track after an initial slow start to the campaign, leaving South London off the back of a three match winning run in WSL2.
Next Move Unknown for In Form Midfielder
Hopcroft’s next career move is not yet known, however she will not be short of offers for her services given her performances in the Championship. The experienced midfielder has proven herself capable at both WSL2 and top flight level when fit.
Crystal Palace will need to replace Hopcroft’s experience in midfield as they look to mount another promotion challenge. The Eagles currently sit mid table in the Championship after recovering from their difficult start to the season following immediate relegation from the WSL.
Crystal Palace forward Ruesha Littlejohn is facing a longer ban than the standard three match suspension for violent conduct following her red card against Leicester City.
The BBC reports the former Arsenal striker could receive an extended punishment, raising questions about FA consistency given past incidents involving serious injuries went unpunished.
Littlejohn received a red card after getting her arm around opponent Cain’s neck during a melee involving six players. However, only the Scottish international was sent off despite five other players being involved in the incident, with no bookings issued to anyone else.
Inconsistent Application of Rules
The sequence began when Blanchard and McLoughlin tangled up, leading to a foul. Kicking on the floor followed before Tierney arrived pushing Blanchard down. Littlejohn pushed Cain, who reacted by pushing back while Tierney and Blanchard wrestled.
Littlejohn then got her hand around Cain’s neck before being simultaneously tripped by McLoughlin and pushed by teammate Nolan.
While the red card is justified, the FA should also charge both teams for failing to control their players given six were involved in the melee. The referee’s decision to not book the other five participants lacks logical consistency.
Past Leg Breakers Avoided Extended Bans
The FA’s approach contrasts sharply with past incidents involving Aaron Ramsey, Eduardo and Petr Cech. The player who fractured Cech’s skull received no ban despite the severity, while attacks on Eduardo and Ramsey resulted in mere three match suspensions.
Where is the consistency? Two players sent Littlejohn flying while she had her arm around Cain’s neck, creating a dangerous situation. How is this different from going full power against an opponent’s leg or head? PGMOL remains lenient on fouling and both organizations fail to adequately protect players’ physical integrity.
Arsenal Women close out 2025 with Sunday’s Subway Women’s League Cup quarter-final away to Crystal Palace at the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton. The defending champions enter at this stage due to their Champions League participation and face the only second-tier side left in the competition.
Kick-off is at 1pm on Sunday, December 21, with the match available exclusively on the Barclays Women’s Super League YouTube channel. Victory would secure a home semi-final against either Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur on January 21-22.
Kick-off: 13:00 GMT, Sunday, December 21, 2025
Venue: VBS Community Stadium, Sutton
TV: Barclays WSL YouTube channel
Form Guide
Arsenal have won their last five matches across all competitions, including a 3-0 victory over OH Leuven in Wednesday’s Champions League group finale. Renée Slegers’ side showed character to progress to the knockout stages after finishing fifth in the league phase.
The Gunners are the record seven-time winners of this competition, lifting the trophy in 2023 and 2024. They beat Palace 5-0 at home and 4-0 away last season before the Eagles were relegated from the WSL.
Crystal Palace topped Group D with wins over Ipswich (3-2) and Leicester (3-0) following an opening 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses. Jo Potter’s side are chasing their first-ever League Cup semi-final after losing late to Leicester in the 2020-21 quarter-finals.
Team News
Arsenal should have a strong squad available with Leah Williamson continuing to build fitness after her Euro 2025 knee injury. The England captain has featured as a substitute in recent matches and could be handed more minutes against Championship opposition.
Alessia Russo leads the line fresh from scoring in Wednesday’s win at Leuven, while Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead provide width. Kim Little captains the side as the Gunners look to maintain their dominance in domestic cup competitions.
Palace will be boosted by a home crowd at the VBS, where they play their League Cup and Championship fixtures. The Eagles topped their group to earn a favorable draw and will fancy their chances of causing an upset against Champions League-weary opponents.
Predicted Lineups
Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Startup;Gibbons, Weerden, Everett, Johnson; Arthur, Sharpe; Neville, Cooper, Atkinson; Blanchard
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Borbe; Fox, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, Catley; Little, Cooney-Cross; Mead, Maanum, Kelly; Russo
Also read: OH Leuven vs. Arsenal Women: Predicted Lineups + Match Preview
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