Ahead of Crystal Palace Under-18s’ U18 Premier League South clash with Fulham on Tuesday evening (17th March, 18:00 GMT), defender Jacob Fasida reflected on the young Eagles’ recent run of results, their title ambitions, and his own progress this season.
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Tuesday evening (17th March), with coverage beginning at 17:45 GMT ahead of a 18:00 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’s been tough, but it’s also been really exciting
—Jacob Fasida
Palace head into the fixture on the back of an impressive 4-2 comeback victory away at Reading, where Mylo Bernard scored a hat-trick to secure all three points.
Despite the result, Fasida admitted the group felt there was still room for improvement.
“I think, as a whole, we were a bit disappointed with our performance,” he said. “We didn’t feel like we put our best foot forward.
“But it’s still good to come away with the three points, which we need if we want to keep competing at the top of the table. That’s one of our main goals this season, alongside the cup competitions – hopefully reaching both finals.”
Javier Alonso’s side currently sit third in the U18 Premier League South on 34 points, eight behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur but with two games in hand.
Fasida believes Palace remain firmly in the race alongside Chelsea and Spurs as the season enters its decisive stages.
“I think we’re doing a good job,” he explained. “We’ve dropped a few points here and there, but as long as we keep winning games and putting three points on the board, we can definitely push Chelsea and Tottenham and take it right to the final game.”
Tuesday’s meeting with Fulham also presents the opportunity to extend Palace’s winning run to five matches during what has been an exciting period for the Academy.
In recent weeks the young Eagles have booked their place in the Premier League Cup Final – where they will face Manchester United at Selhurst Park – and progressed to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals after overcoming reigning champions Aston Villa, five-time winners of the competition.
Fasida described the atmosphere within the squad as extremely positive following those achievements.
“It’s been tough, but it’s also been really exciting,” he said.
“The Aston Villa game especially – getting to the semi-final was massive for us. Now we’ve got another big game coming up against either Sunderland or Manchester United.
“And reaching the Premier League Cup final was another huge moment. Everyone’s been buzzing in the changing room – the vibe over the last couple of weeks has been really good.”
It’ll be tough, but I definitely think we can win
—Jacob Fasida
Next up are Fulham, who arrive in confident form despite a mixed league campaign.
The young Cottagers have lost half of their league fixtures this season, but are unbeaten in their last three matches, including a 5-1 win over Reading, a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against Chelsea at Cobham, and a 1-1 draw with West Ham United.
Notably, Fulham became the only team to defeat Chelsea on their own turf in the league this season, recovering from a two-goal deficit to claim all three points.
Fasida is expecting a demanding contest when the sides meet on Tuesday evening.
“I think it’ll be a really good test,” he said. “They’ll be technical, but they’re also quite physical.
“It’s a good balance, but I think that actually suits us. We tend to play better against teams that have both of those attributes. It’ll be tough, but I definitely think we can win.”
The sides last met in October, when Palace produced a commanding 4-0 victory, with David Angibeaud scoring the fourth goal of the evening to continue his impressive goalscoring run.
Fasida remembers a dominant display from the young Eagles that afternoon.
“I think we were just a bit too strong for them,” he said. “We started well, got a couple of goals, and then we were able to control the game, keep the ball moving and keep switching play. They couldn’t really get near us.”
Reflecting on his own campaign so far, Fasida believes the season has been an important period of development.
“I think it’s been a really positive season,” he said. “I’ve played a lot of minutes with both the U18s and the U21s, which has helped me gain a lot of experience.
“Now it’s about using that experience every week and continuing to improve.”
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Tuesday evening (17th March), with coverage beginning at 17:45 GMT ahead of a 18:00 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+.
Fulham Under-18s v Crystal Palace Under-18s