The turn of the month sees one of the busiest of the season pass, and overall, October will likely be one to forget for Palace fans. The month started with a big win after the international break, Palace beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 to start off what was set to be a tough run of fixtures. 

The results that followed however, have been borderline atrocious. In the six games since, Palace lost four, drawing once in the Europa League and beating Fulham in the Carabao Cup. 

Going into November, Palace begin the month in 18th place, occupying the third relegation spot but with the top ten still well within reach. 

So what can Palace fans expect from the coming month, and how much demand is there going to be on the players?

Palace kick off November with a big Europa League clash against Hoffenheim. The German side have had a mixed star to the season, and currently languish in the bottom half of the Bundesliga table. In Europe, they beat Lyon 3-0, and Palace will be hoping to earn a vital three points in that competition as they bid to qualify without having to play a play off game. 

This game also provides a great opportunity to not only bounce back from the disappointment of Saturday evening, but also for Palace to really kick start the new month with a positive result. 

In the last ten games against Liverpool in all competitions, Palace have actually won the most, with four victories to Liverpool’s three. Last time the two sides met, Liverpool won 3-1 in the Premier League, but before that their last win had come back in 2024. 

Any game against Liverpool is a tough one, but Palace will be desperate to earn points before the international break. 

The season will pause for Palace from this point until the 21st, giving Sage a huge two weeks to get his side on the training pitch. 

One of the biggest positives that Palace need to hold on to so far this season is just how close the table still is. A couple of wins can really propel you up the table, but those gaps are only going to increase as the season progresses. 

Therefore, the two games against both Coventry and Hull are going to be vital for the short-term future of the club, and, if he makes it that far, Pierre Sage’s future too. 

Coventry have been in solid form recently, especially at home, and Palace will need to bring their best to earn a win. 

Palace’s second Europa League game of the month comes again at Selhurst Park, but this time against top opposition in Real Sociedad. The Spanish side are currently fifth in LaLiga, and occupy 14th place in the Europa League, one place above Palace at the time of writing. 

With a squad full of experienced European players and talented youth too, it could be one of Palace’s biggest tests in the competition so far.

When you look at this game paired with the trip to Coventry, and then peer into the future at the following run of league games, these two are must wins. Again, Hull have been strong this year, potentially the surprise package of the newly promoted sides so far, but Palace should be winning these kinds of games, especially at home. 

After a bright start, the Tigers are on a run of eight games in all competitions without a win, before their trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal. They’re difficult to break down and will provide stubborn opposition for Palace, but playing at Selhurst Park, a win is the very least Palace fans will be expecting. 

As a whole, November will come as a much needed relief in terms of the number of games played, and Palace will have some time to recover and focus on training and development, which will be huge for Pierre Sage if he’s to keep his job.