When Crystal Palace come up against Millwall in the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup this weekend in a South London derby, the local match-up will see Eagles attacker Romain Esse reunited with his former club.
The talented 19 year old, who came through the ranks at The Den, will come up against his ex-employer just over a month after making the switch from Millwall to Palace in the January transfer window.
And it’s been some start to life at Selhurst Park for the youngster who marked his Premier League debut against Brentford with a goal.
Instant impact on debut ⚡️#CPFC // @_RomainEsse pic.twitter.com/QlvENCrrRW
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 26, 2025
“It’s good to see familiar faces,” said Esse. “It’s always good to your old mates and where you came from but on that day, I’m just thinking about progressing through to the next round. I’ll be looking to get the job done and hopefully get into the next round of the cup.
“They developed me and shaped me into the player I am today. I thank them a lot but at the end of the day, now I’m at Palace so I’ve got to give my all for Palace.
“The future is looking very bright. The boys have made me feel welcome. I’m just learning and developing game by game. It’s just about creating more memories for the Palace fans and keep going every week.”
The last time the Eagles and the Lions went locked horns was in January 2022 when Palace ran out 2-1 winners over Millwall at The Den in the third round of the FA Cup.
Patrick Vieira’s side had to come from behind against the Championship outfit, who took the lead in the first half through Benik Afobe. The away side turned it around in the second half with goals from Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta.
But since then, the two teams haven’t come face-to-face.
“Both sets of fans love football a lot and they’re very passionate,” explained Esse. “It’s going to be a game the fans are going to be up for. I just can’t wait to get on the pitch and show the Palace fans what I can do.”
But Palace aren’t underestimating their EFL opponents who saw off Championship high-flyers Leeds United last time out in the competition to book their place in the fifth round.
“They’re tough to beat,” said Palace midfielder Adam Wharton. “They put their bodies on the line. It’s a bit of a South London derby, so they’re going to be up for it and their fans will be up for it.
“When I was at Blackburn and we played against Premier League opposition, it’s a massive game and you’ve got a bit of a platform to show people how good you are. We’ve got to be up for it otherwise it will be a very difficult match.”
As for Palace, a 2-0 triumph away at League Two side Doncaster Rovers saw the Eagles reach the fifth round as Daniel Munoz and Justin Devenny both made the scoresheet.
Wharton started his first game since a Carabao Cup outing in October 2024 after the England star was sidelined for a lengthy spell due to a groin injury which required surgery last year.
“It was just over three months out and not very enjoyable being in the gym and treatment most days,” added Wharton. “I was very happy to get back in with the team and just be able to play football again free of pain and just express myself.”
Palace have a history with this particular competition, having twice made the FA Cup final, losing out to Manchester United on both occasions.
The Eagles made it to Wembley in 1990 as the club went in search of a first major trophy. It was an entertaining contest which ended in 3-3 draw, before being beaten 1-0 in the replay.
More recently in 2016, Palace – who struck first in the showpiece under the famous arch – were defeated in extra time as the Red Devils turned it around to win 2-1. This time, Oliver Glasner’s side are hoping it will be third time lucky.
“Absolutely,” agreed Wharton. “We’re playing against top opposition every week and we know within ourselves that we’ve got the ability to beat any team on our day. We’ve just got to turn up, be at it and work together.
"That’s definitely the aim otherwise there’s no point in us being in the competition. We’re aiming to go all the way.”
