U18s preview Palace v Ipswich Town: Young Eagles target back-to-back wins in race for second

Under-18s

5 May 2026

Crystal Palace Under-18s return to U18 Premier League South action on Wednesday afternoon (6th May, 13:00 BST), travelling to face Ipswich Town at the Ipswich Town Academy as they look to make it back-to-back wins – here’s everything you need to know.

Eagle-Eyed Review

Last time out, Donte Martin’s brace inspired Palace to a 3-2 victory over Arsenal, as they returned to winning ways in the U18 Premier League South.

That result followed a 3-1 defeat to Norwich City, where a heavily rotated Palace side – still riding the momentum of their first-ever U18 Premier League Cup triumph – came up short against the in-form Canaries.

The young Eagles currently sit sixth on 42 points, just one point behind Brighton & Hove Albion and West Bromwich Albion in fifth and fourth respectively, while holding two games in hand on both.

Attention will also be on second-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Palace have two games in hand but trail by eight points, setting up a potential race for second place heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

Our opponents – Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town were awarded Category One academy status ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The Tractor Boys endured a difficult first half of the campaign, winning just once before the turn of the year – a 3-0 victory over Birmingham City in October.

However, they have shown signs of improvement in recent months, picking up notable wins against Fulham, West Ham United, Leicester City and Arsenal to climb off the foot of the table.

Last time out, Ipswich were beaten 3-1 by Southampton at Bloomfields, Needham Market. First-half goals from Broghan Sewell and Junior Kuzanga put the visitors in control, before Luke Hawe added a third. An own goal from Saints goalkeeper Dylan Moody pulled one back for Ipswich in a scrappy second half.

That result followed an impressive 3-0 derby victory over Norwich City, though Ipswich were unable to build on that momentum.

They currently sit second from bottom in the U18 Premier League South, just one point behind Reading and with a game in hand over bottom-placed Birmingham City.

Ipswich also enjoyed a strong run in the FA Youth Cup, reaching the fifth round with wins over Sheffield United and Bromley, before exiting the competition following a 4-2 extra-time defeat to Everton.

U18 Premier League Explained…

The U18 Premier League is split into two regional divisions, featuring all 29 Category One academies – 15 in the South and 14 in the North.

There are 18 Premier League clubs, ten from the Championship and one from League One represented across the competition.

Each team plays home and away fixtures within their division, with the two regional champions meeting in a one-off national final to determine the overall U18 Premier League title.

Likely line-up

W Fletcher, Boakye-King, Berkeley-Agyepong, Brown, Olawole, Longwe, Burton-Yurevich, Wood ©, Unadike, Nicolaou, Pedder

Team news

Ipswich have rotated heavily in recent weeks, using more than 25 players across their last few fixtures.

After heavy defeats to Chelsea and Aston Villa, they reshuffled their side for a victory over Norwich, before making further changes in the defeat to Southampton.

Pre-match analysis

Ipswich began the calendar year in strong fashion, recording eye-catching wins over Fulham, West Ham United, Leicester City and Arsenal.

However, their recent form has dipped, with just one win in their last five matches. During that run, they have conceded 16 goals while collecting only three points.

Despite that, their home form offers a different picture. Ipswich have won three of their last five matches on home soil, making them one of the more in-form sides in the division at home.

Key Player – Indiana Pedder

Indiana Pedder has enjoyed an impressive campaign, registering seven goals and six assists so far this season.

The central midfielder, from Aylesford in Kent, joined Ipswich from Tottenham Hotspur at Under-17 level and has been a key creative influence in their side.

Previous meeting

Benji Casey’s second consecutive hat-trick capped a scintillating performance as Palace recorded an emphatic 8-0 victory over Ipswich Town in early September, securing their first home win of the season in style.

The Gaffer – Matt Pooley & Jimmy Smith

Matt Pooley began his coaching career at Southend United in 2015, progressing through several roles before joining Norwich City, where he worked across the Foundation Phase and later with the U15s and U16s.

He moved to Ipswich Town in 2023 as a Player Development Coach before stepping into his current role as Lead Individual Coach and Under-18s Lead Coach.

Assistant coach Jimmy Smith has been part of Chelsea’s academy setup since 2019, following a professional playing career that began at Stamford Bridge.

A former England youth international, Smith made a senior appearance for Chelsea and had spells with clubs including QPR, Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday and Leyton Orient, where he later signed permanently.

He returned to Chelsea’s academy towards the end of his playing career and now works primarily with the U15s and U16s, alongside his role supporting the U18s.

How to follow

Unfortunately, this match will not be streamed live on Palace TV+.

Supporters can follow live updates via the Academy’s X (Twitter) account, with a full match report published shortly after full-time on the Academy news section of the website. Highlights will also be available on Palace TV+.

Match Details

Ipswich Town Under-18s v Crystal Palace Under-18s

Wednesday, 6th May
13:00 BST
Ipswich Town Academy
U18 Premier League South

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