Europa League: 19-year-old Khalis Merah starts up front as Lyon beat Crystal Palace 3-2

The hairline fracture Loïs Openda picked up against Lens (1-2) left a vacancy at the top of the Lyon 4-3-3. Paulo Fonseca filled it with Khalis Merah, 19, from the start on Thursday night against Crystal Palace. Lyon won 3-2 and now have two wins from two Europa League games.

A 19-year-old false nine

Born in Meyzieu and a France Under-19 international, Merah joined Lyon in April 2025 and is under contract until 2029. Around him, Fonseca picked Greif in goal, Bacher and Kluivert at centre-back, Tolisso and Morton in midfield, Nuamah and Nakamura on the wings. L’Équipe sees him as a “false nine”, dropping deep more than a classic centre-forward.

A win built the hard way

The scoreline stands, 3-2, and Foot Mercato describes a Lyon side that “won in suffering”. Lyon sit third in the league phase, with the evening’s later results still to come. Merah kept his feet on the ground: “I don’t know if the win was deserved but it’s still a win. We’ll take that,” he said on Canal+, adding with a laugh: “I don’t know if I’m ready to take on this role. I can always do better. It’s for the coach to say how I played.”

Palace head to Brighton with a crowded treatment room

Crystal Palace have no time to digest the defeat: the Eagles travel to Brighton on Sunday (2pm UK time) for matchday seven of the Premier League, away to the side sitting third, 13 points to their 7. The absentee list keeps growing: Mateta (hamstring) and Henderson (foot) are out, Disasi will serve a suspension after his red card. Brighton, who last played on 10 October, a 2-0 win at Sunderland, have four wins and a draw in their last five matches. Their win on Sunday trades at 1.63 at 1xbet, about three chances in five in the market’s view.