Crystal Palace vs Middlesbrough prediction 08.09.2026 | EFL Cup

Crystal Palace underwent big changes over the summer, not only in the squad but also on the bench as well. Coach Oliver Glasner, who brought them FA Cup and Conference League titles, left and joined Nottingham. Pierre Sage replaced him, but his tenure at Crystal Palace started very poorly, with a 2:0 loss to Everton and a 4:1 loss to Manchester City. The Eagles did not look good in the opening matches on either side of the pitch and will probably need time to adjust to a new system. However, they showed some positives in the win over Fulham 3:2, especially on offense. Despite winning the game, we weren't overly impressed, and they still have time to reach their desired performance. 

For the upcoming EFL Cup game, the Eagles will have two of their most important offensive players out due to injuries - Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaïla Sarr. Moreover, Chadi Riad should also remain sidelined due to the knee injury he sustained in the first game of the season. 

Middlesbrough were close to earning promotion to the Premier League last season. They reached the Finals, but lost 1:0 to Hull, a team that is doing an amazing job in the Premier League at the moment. This year, Boro are doing a pretty good job. They are sitting in 2nd place with 10 points from five rounds - just one point away from the first-placed Swansea. Even though they are an underdog in the duel against Crystal Palace, they definitely have a reason for optimism. 

Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter suffered an injury in the previous game against QPR and had to leave the field a few minutes before the end of the game. He was probably their best player this season, and his absence would be massive. However, according to credible sources, it was only a minor injury, and the 25-year-old should be ready for the EFL Cup tie.