- Tyrick Mitchell sets huge personal record
- Unlucky to be overlooked on international level
- Opportunity to break Joel Ward’s milestone
On Sunday, as Crystal Palace beat Newcastle United, Tyrick Mitchell crossed the ball in for Palace’s equalising goal, as the left-back made his 200th Premier League appearance for the club.
Now ranking 5th place in Palace’s all-time appearance makers in the competition, this milestone is not only a huge achievement, but one that sparks considerations about his lack of international appearances.
Mitchell has been a mainstay in the Palace squad since his debut in the 2019/20 season. From 2021/22 onwards, Mitchell has become a key figure in the starting XI and has missed very few games.
Overlooked at International level
Called up in 2022 after a strong campaign with Palace, Mitchell’s two appearances looked to be the start of an exciting future with the Three Lions; however, since then, he’s failed to make a squad again.
Is this down to Mitchell? No, it can’t be. His performances for Palace have been strong and consistent, showing signs of his development. Once renowned solely for his defensive work, Mitchell has since improved in the attacking department, increasing his contribution in the final third and even scoring in European competition.
Mitchell’s lack of caps stems from a multitude of reasons, which we’ll explain in this article.
Firstly, he was initially unlucky that Luke Shaw had seemingly nailed down the position, and in his absence, Kieran Trippier was turned to, despite his natural position being on the opposite flank.
Secondly, his lack of attacking thrust prior to the more recent campaigns saw him dubbed as a solid defender but nothing more than that. What he’s done in the more recent campaigns would in theory, have been enough to tempt a further call-up, but the phone has not rung.
Approaching the World Cup, Lewis Hall and Nico O’Reilly are the two names being touted for seats on the plane to the United States, Canada and Mexico this Summer. Hall is a bright young player, but does not offer the same consistency as Mitchell, as seen in Sunday’s game between the two sides, where Hall struggled defensively, especially in the second half against Ismaila Sarr.
O’Reilly is a midfielder who Pep Guardiola has developed into a left-back. However, O’Reilly’s position and role in Manchester City’s side is incredibly unique. He plays almost as an additional midfielder, with full licence to roam and get forward, hence his impressive goal-scoring return, including a brace in the Carabao Cup final.
Opportunity to Top the Table
It feels as if, for Mitchell, there has simply always been either a stronger option. Alternatively, one who is playing for a bigger club and therefore receiving more attention. There is no doubt that if Mitchell were to be selected for England, he would do himself and Palace proud.
There is a sense that he may just have had unfortunate timing with his career, but he will certainly still remain proud of his contributions for Palace and their recent success, and the genuine opportunity that he’s presented with to go on and break the all time Premier League appearance record for the club is something that both Mitchell and the fans will be keen to see achieved.
The left-back is now 20 appearances behind Jeffrey Schlupp, 40 behind James McArthur, 91 behind Wilf Zaha and 106 appearances shy of Joel Ward who leads the charts. If Mitchell is to remain at Selhurst Park, it would take him just over 2 ½ more seasons to become Palace’s leading player in the Premier League, and at 26, it’s certainly a possibility.
