Crystal Palace Women will host Charlton Athletic in a mid-week tie for their second game week of the Players Cup. The game takes place at 7:00pm on Wednesday 30 September. 

This is another huge game for Palace after their 3-3 draw with Birmingham City on the weekend, as they face, again, a fellow side who earned promotion with them last season to the Women's Super League. This will be another important measure of Palace's performance and their competitiveness against the teams of the same level last season.

While Palace host Charlton for the Players Cup rather than the League, it is an important game for both teams to try and push for a good result outside of the league against similar competition. 

Palace were victorious in their first Players Cup match with their 1-0 win over Watford credit to Shannon O'Brien's first goal in Red and Blue. The next game against Charlton is also a must win game for Potter's side, not just to have a good string of results in the League Cup but also to prove they have taken the next step up in their competitiveness and that they can push to remain in the WSL. 

After the first four games of the WSL season, and a match in the Players Cup, Charlton sit bottom of both competitions as they have been unable to pick up a single point with defeats to Everton, Liverpool, London City Lionesses, and Manchester City in the WSL and a 4-0 defeat to Brighton in the Players Cup. 

In their first four WSL games they have only registered two shots on target, the first being Jodie Hutton's goal against London City. Karen Hills' side is evidently struggling with the step up in competitiveness and intensity between the two leagues and are likely to be the team that finds themselves being relegated back to the WSL2. 

Palace know the feeling of struggling with the step up following their first venture in the top flight back in 2024/25. Hills' side have been struggling at all areas of the pitch but especially in creating chances on the attack.

During their promotion winning campaign last season they kept an incredible defensive record, but only scored 31 goals compared to Birmingham's 46, seeing them rank 6th in the table for goals scored. 

Palace should be set for a strong performance against Charlton, given Charlton's recent form, but they should not be complacent, as Palace's draw against Birmingham last week showed us. Charlton will likely be focusing on the league, which could see some rotation from them.

Also indicated last week's game against Watford Potter is likely to do a full level rotation for the game in order to keep full fitness for their next WSL game against Aston Villa. 

Line-up against Watford: Yañez (GK), Nolan, Cosme, Swaby, Weerden, Enge, Moynihan, Sharpe, Larkin, Howat, England. Potter is likely to play a similar line-up after only Swaby and England started on Sunday.

This means the game is likely to be unpredictable, with neither team seeing it as the priority but wanting to build some momentum for their WSL game on the weekend.