Burnley and Crystal Palace club crests displayed over the pitch at Turf Moor ahead of their Premier League meeting

Burnley vs Crystal Palace – Match Preview & Analysis

by Katie Dawson
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Premier League – 3 Dec 2025, 19:30 UTC; Turf Moor, Burnley, England

Burnley host Crystal Palace in what could be a tight, tactical contest as Turf Moor welcomes a Palace side pushing for European contention. Palace arrive off the back of a narrow defeat and will look to bounce back – while Burnley aim to use home advantage to defy expectations.

Recent Form & Context

Burnley:
Burnley have struggled in recent games. Their last six Premier League matches include heavy losses, such as 3–1 away to Brentford (29 Nov 2025) and 2–0 at home to Chelsea (22 Nov), plus a 3–2 defeat at West Ham (8 Nov) and a 0–2 loss to Arsenal (1 Nov).
That run reflects a side under pressure defensively, and recent form makes them underdogs at home.

Crystal Palace:
Palace’s latest outing was a 2–1 home defeat to Manchester United (30 Nov).
Ahead of that they had mixed results across competitions – including a 0–0 draw vs Brighton and a 2–0 Conference League win over Wolves mid-November.

Overall, Palace come in as a more stable side than Burnley, with better defensive discipline recently.

Crystal Palace defender and Burnley midfielder in a physical challenge during a Premier League match
Crystal Palace and Burnley players in a midfield challenge

Head-to-Head & Historical Tightness

The fixture history between Burnley and Palace shows a fairly balanced record. In their past ~40 matches, Burnley have won 12 games, Palace 13, with around 15 draws.
That suggests no clear dominance – history leans toward parity, making current form a key decider this time around.

Burnley vs Crystal Palace head-to-head results showing recent Premier League matches and historical outcomes
Recent Burnley vs Crystal Palace head-to-head results

Tactical Angle & What to Watch

This match likely hinges on defensive structure vs opportunistic attacking.

  • Burnley’s recent defensive frailties – conceding multiple goals in successive games – might leave them exposed at home.
  • Palace, with more recent defensive stability and better cohesion, could exploit those weaknesses through transition and set-pieces.
  • Expect a controlled tempo with few reckless moves: likely a cautious beginning, with chances arising later as space opens.

Given recent trends, this could turn into a low- to mid-scoring match, where a single moment or defensive lapse could decide the outcome.

Burnley and Crystal Palace players challenging for the ball during a Premier League match at Turf Moor
Burnley and Crystal Palace players battling for possession.

Match Trends and Key Indicators

  • Recent meetings show balanced outcomes and modest scoring patterns between the sides.
  • Burnley’s home performances have lacked consistency, while Palace have looked more stable across recent fixtures.
  • Current form suggests a close contest, with realistic scenarios ranging from a narrow Palace win to a low-scoring draw.

For advanced performance insights and a complete analytical overview, visit the Polyinsights Match Centre.