Prolific forward David Angibeaud has set his sights on a strong finish to the season as Crystal Palace Under-18s prepare to face fierce rivals Brighton & Hove Albion in the U18 Premier League South on Saturday (21st March, 11:00 GMT) at the Academy.
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Saturday (21st March), with coverage beginning at 10:45 GMT ahead of a 11:00 GMT kick-off – click HERE to find out more and subscribe.
Supporters can follow live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page, with a full match report and reaction published shortly after full-time in our Academy news section.
Highlights and extended reaction will be available on Palace TV+.
It happens in football
—David Angibeaud
Palace currently sit third in the U18 Premier League South table with 35 points from 19 matches, firmly in the title race as the season approaches its 10 games.
The young Eagles trail second-placed Chelsea by five points, while league leaders Tottenham Hotspur are nine points ahead – although Palace hold two games in hand on Spurs, offering a valuable opportunity to close the gap.
Last time out, Palace were denied all three points in dramatic fashion, conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw away to Fulham at Motspur Park.
Angibeaud opened the scoring after 15 minutes, reacting quickest to divert full-back Daniel Owoade’s effort into the far corner.
Fulham responded before the break, but Palace regained the lead through a cleverly flicked header from centre-midfielder Chuks Okoli. However, a last-gasp free-kick from the young Cottagers No. 10 Alfie White ensured the points were shared.
Reflecting on the contest, Angibeaud said: “I thought it was quite even, 2-2. Started off well, scored. I think it went 1-1 and then Chuks scored, made it 2-1 and then obviously last minute, unlucky to go 2-2.
“It’s normal, it happens in football, move on to the next game.”
We want to win the league
—David Angibeaud
Despite that late frustration, Angibeaud has enjoyed an impressive individual campaign leading the line for the U18s, scoring 14 goals in 27 appearances across all competitions this season.
His current run of form can be traced back to mid-October, when a late substitute appearance in a 4-0 victory over Fulham proved a turning point.
Since then, Angibeaud has gone on to establish himself as a key figure in the side, becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet after previously being limited largely to appearances from the bench.
On his form in front of goal, he added: “It’s good. I feel like I’m just getting back into things.
“It’s good that I can keep scoring, just try and keep scoring in more important games and hopefully we can do the big three at the end of the season.”
The “big three” refers to Palace’s ambitions across all competitions, with the Under-18s competing strongly in the league while also reaching the latter stages of both the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Cup.
Angibeaud remains confident about the team’s chances heading into the business stretch of the campaign.
“It’s not negative. We want to challenge, we do want to win it. There’s no reason to be negative about it.
“Just keep pushing and hopefully we get there.”
We’re going to go into Saturday and try and win
—David Angibeaud
Attention now turns to Saturday’s clash with Brighton, a fixture that always carries added intensity given the fierce rivalry between the two clubs. The Seagulls sit just behind Palace on 32 points, although the young Eagles have a game in hand.
With the title race tightening, a positive result will be key to maintaining pressure on the sides above and making full use of those games in hand.
On the importance of the occasion, Angibeaud said: “Of course, for all the staff and players. Everyone knows, you don’t really need to say much. Everybody knows how big the game is, so we’re going to go into Saturday and try and win.”
Palace head into the match in strong overall form, having built momentum across multiple competitions.
Recent weeks have seen the U18s reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals – one of the most prestigious competitions in Academy football – with a 3-2 win over Aston Villa, as well as booking a place in the Premier League Cup final against Manchester United, with a 1-0 victory against Tottenham.
“It’s good. Everyone’s happy,” Angibeaud added.
“Obviously, we had a little blip on Tuesday, but it’s normal. We’re in a good spirit, a good place right now. Just take it each game as it comes and see what happens.”
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Saturday (21st March), with coverage beginning at 10:45 GMT ahead of a 11:00 GMT kick-off – click HERE to find out more and subscribe.
Supporters can follow live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page, with a full match report and reaction published shortly after full-time in our Academy news section.
Highlights and extended reaction will be available on Palace TV+.
Crystal Palace Under-18s v Brighton & Hove Albion Under-18s