The Premier League's Wednesday night action brings a fascinating tactical battle to South London as Crystal Palace hosts Aston Villa today, January 7, 2026. For Oliver Glasner, the task is daunting: his side is winless in seven matches and decimated by injuries. For Unai Emery, it is a chance to move within three points of the league summit and break a long-standing "Selhurst Park curse."
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: Premier League (Matchday 21)
Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Kick-off: 19:30 GMT / 14:30 ET
Venue: Selhurst Park, London
Referee: Andy Madley (VAR: Michael Oliver)
Broadcast: Sky Sports+ (UK), Peacock (US), DAZN (Canada)
The Storyline: Glassner's Grit vs. Emery's Title Charge
Crystal Palace: A Squad Pushed to the Brink
The Eagles are currently in their most difficult period under Oliver Glasner. Following a bruising 2–0 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday, Palace is winless since early November. The lack of squad depth is now a glaring issue; Glasner confirmed he has only 14 senior players available for tonight's clash.
Despite the gloom, the club-record signing of Brennan Johnson (£35m from Tottenham) has provided a spark. The Wales international made his debut against Newcastle and is expected to start again tonight, tasked with providing the service that Jean-Philippe Mateta has been starved of in recent weeks.
Aston Villa: Title Aspirations Under the Lights
Aston Villa enters 2026 as genuine title contenders. Their 3–1 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday saw them draw level with Manchester City on 42 points. Under Emery, Villa has become the league's "Road Kings," showing a tactical flexibility that allows them to absorb pressure and punish teams on the break.
With Ollie Watkins in arguably the best form of his career—netting four goals in his last three outings—Villa arrives at Selhurst Park with a lethal combination of confidence and clinical finishing.
Team News & AFCON Absentees
Crystal Palace Team News
Latest Blows: Nathaniel Clyne (abductor) and Jefferson Lerma (concussion) are both ruled out after being withdrawn on Sunday.
Injury List: Daniel Muñoz, Daichi Kamada, Cheick Doucouré, and Eddie Nketiah remain sidelined.
AFCON Absence: Ismaïla Sarr is away representing Senegal.
Return: Chris Richards is fit enough to return to the matchday squad.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Canvot, Lacroix, Guéhi; Devenny, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Johnson, Pino; Mateta.
Aston Villa Team News
Defensive Boost: Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings are nearing returns and will be assessed late; they could feature on the bench.
Midfield Absence: Amadou Onana (hamstring) is out, meaning Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans will continue their partnership.
AFCON Absence: Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast) is unavailable.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Lindelöf, Maatsen; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendía; Watkins.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
The Glasner Edge: Incredibly, Oliver Glasner has never lost to Unai Emery in six previous meetings (W5, D1).
Mateta's Favorite Foe: Jean-Philippe Mateta has been involved in 9 goals against Aston Villa (6 goals, 3 assists)—more than any other opponent.
The Home Streak: Palace has won their last three home league games against Villa.
Villa's Away Form: Unai Emery's side has the second-best away record in the Premier League this season.
Tactical Analysis: Midfield Battleground
The key to this match lies in the center of the pitch. Adam Wharton and Will Hughes will have their hands full trying to contain the creative rotation of Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendía. Without Lerma, Palace loses a significant amount of bite in the tackle.
For Villa, the high defensive line will be a risk against the raw pace of Brennan Johnson. Emery will likely instruct Matty Cash to stay deeper than usual to prevent Johnson from getting in behind. If Palace can isolate Jean-Philippe Mateta against Victor Lindelöf, they may find joy, but Villa’s superior bench depth is likely to be the deciding factor in the final 20 minutes.
Match Prediction
History favors Palace and Glasner, but the current reality of the two squads is vastly different. Palace is exhausted and depleted, while Villa is a well-oiled machine chasing history. Expect a gritty performance from the Eagles, but Villa's quality should eventually tell.
Final Score Prediction: Crystal Palace 1–2 Aston Villa
