Muñoz’s Rising Influence as Palace Head to Fulham
So, let’s talk about Crystal Palace and the growing buzz around Daniel Muñoz as the team prepares for their trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham. There’s been a lot of attention on the Colombian defender lately—and honestly, for good reason. His impact on this Palace side has been impossible to ignore.
Oliver Glasner, Palace’s head coach, has been openly praising Muñoz’s attacking qualities, and those qualities were on full display in the win away at Burnley. Just before half-time, Muñoz rose for a beautifully taken header—his 10th goal for the club and already his fourth of the season. For a defender, that’s a remarkable output. In fact, no other Premier League defender has contributed to more goals this season. And when you look at open-play sequences leading to shots, only Jean-Phillipe Mateta has been involved in more for Palace. That gives you a clear idea of how involved Muñoz is in the attacking flow of this team.
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During his pre-Fulham press conference, Glasner was asked whether Muñoz might be the best right-back in the Premier League right now. His answer was interesting because he didn’t really box Muñoz into that traditional role. Instead, he described him as this hybrid between a right-back and a right winger—a player given the freedom to push high, attack space, and arrive at the far post. That freedom is built into Palace’s system. They use a back three specifically so someone like Muñoz can stretch forward without leaving a gaping hole behind him.
Glasner even pointed out that Muñoz had scored five times in six months back in Belgium before joining Palace, so this attacking instinct isn’t new—it’s simply being fully embraced. His movement, his endurance, and that knack for appearing in dangerous spots have become something special for the club, especially now with Ismaïla Sarr injured. With fewer players making those off-the-ball runs, Muñoz’s willingness to surge forward has become even more valuable.
It’s also worth noting that he scored the last time Palace played at Craven Cottage in the league—a clean 2–0 win built on a sharp counter-attack. And if it feels like he’s always on the pitch, that’s because he is. He has played every Premier League minute this season. Glasner did acknowledge the risks, though: Rio Cardines, his backup, is injured, and Nathaniel Clyne, while experienced, doesn’t offer the same profile. Jaydee Canvot is more defensively minded and was used for his aerial presence against Burnley, but again, not the same style.
There’s also the yellow card situation—Muñoz is one booking away from a suspension. But still, he wants to play every minute, and Palace clearly rely on him.
So as Palace head to Fulham on Sunday at 16:30 GMT, all eyes will once again be on what Muñoz brings—not just as a defender, but as one of the team’s most dynamic attacking outlets.
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