The Verdict from Selhurst Park: Pierre Sage’s Rotated Eagles Ease Past Middlesbrough
Crystal Palace secured their passage into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a dominant and convincing 3-0 victory over Championship side Middlesbrough at Selhurst Park. Pierre Sage made eight changes to his starting lineup following their dramatic weekend win at Fulham, handing first starts to summer arrivals Óscar Mingueza, Honest Ahanor, and Dario Osorio.
While the first half lacked rhythm due to the mass changes, a clinical second-half display ensured the Eagles comfortably eased through to the next stage of the competition.
Jørgen Strand Larsen Takes Centre Stage with a Brilliant Brace
The defining moment of the evening arrived through Norway international Jørgen Strand Larsen, who got off the mark for the 2026/27 campaign in style. Strand Larsen raced onto Óscar Mingueza’s in-swinging cross from the right flank to glance in the opening goal before powering a planted header past Sol Brynn from Ben Chilwell’s sweet delivery eight minutes after the restart.
Speaking to Palace TV after the game, the striker made his feelings clear about the service he received.
“Crosses – I’ve got to love ‘em! More of that, please!” Strand Larsen beamed.
“We’re talking about it every day, how to get in good positions. Especially for us, the defenders want to grab us all the time because we’re big and a threat in the box. It’s about being smart and I feel like I got myself into two good positions.
“Obviously, the delivery is great. Óscar knows me really well from our time in Celta [Vigo], so he knew that ball. Me and Chilly have just known each other for a week, but it’s great to get some good crosses in and to be at the end of it.”
Daichi Kamada Adds Gloss with an Audacious Chip
Substitutes made sure the game was completely put to bed, none more so than Daichi Kamada. After coming off the bench, the midfielder produced a sublime, exquisite chip from outside the penalty area over a rooted Sol Brynn.
The move was brilliantly created by Strand Larsen, who turned provider with a cute reverse pass into Kamada’s path. The striker admitted he was initially unsure what his teammate was attempting.
“I felt like he was going to score, but then I didn’t know what he was doing!” Strand Larsen laughed.
“It looked like he was going for time-wasting at minute 70, but then he just pulled something out of the hat. I think he knew that was his last option, but then obviously Daichi’s quality.
“He’s a top player and it’s good to get some confidence in the team. I feel like we started a bit tough, a bit unlucky maybe, not playing perfectly. But a good win at the weekend, really enjoyed that. Then a good win tonight and then we’re just going to build on that and win [against Ipswich] on Saturday.”
Building Squad Depth and Looking Ahead
Pierre Sage’s willingness to heavily rotate his squad ultimately paid rich dividends, successfully managing minutes while preserving quality on the pitch. Kim Hellberg also made eight changes for Middlesbrough, introducing Championship joint-top scorer Will Lankshear only in the second half, but the visitors could not contain Palace’s resurgence after the interval.
Reflecting on the overall performance and the wider ambitions for the campaign, Strand Larsen emphasised the value of keeping the winning momentum alive across all competitions.
“[We’re happy with] the result especially. I think the first-half isn’t great, but it’s a bit what we expected. We have a whole new team almost playing together, a lot of new players, so it will take some time to get into rhythm, to get to know each other,” Strand Larsen assessed.
“I feel like in the second-half, we did really well, and obviously we scored from our chances today. Obviously, I’m buzzing with some goals because it’s what I need to get going and get doing. I feel really good at this moment. I feel like I’ve been playing well, so I’m just going to keep on doing that.
“I think we’ve got a lot of players this season. We want to be in every competition and compete. For everyone, that’s just positive that we keep on winning in every competition to keep the group happy and to be able to hopefully win a trophy. That will be what we aim for this year as well.”
Pierre Sage and his players have answered every question asked of them during this busy early-season stretch, turning squad rotation into a masterclass in momentum building. With the likes of Strand Larsen firing, new faces bedding in seamlessly, and a fourth-round Carabao Cup spot securely locked away,
Selhurst Park has every right to look ahead to Saturday’s clash against Ipswich with confidence.
