Crystal Palace vs Southampton Preview: Team News & Prediction
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With just three wins in 18, Crystal Palace have struggled so far this season ahead of now welcoming bottom-of-the-table Southampton to Selhurst Park in south London this weekend.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 29th December, 2024: UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 10:00am / US PT – 7:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock
Crystal Palace Preview: Eagles need to start soaring
Oliver Glasner came into Crystal Palace in February last season and propelled the Eagles to a top-half finish in the Premier League but it has been a slow and tricky start to the campaign as they hover just above the bottom three and the relegation places.
The home team come into this one on the back of an improved run of form with their most recent outing being a goalless draw against AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. That means they have suffered just one defeat in their last seven matches in the Premier League.
Southampton Preview: Saints need a miracle
Southampton have managed just one victory and collected just six points in their opening 18 matches of the Premier League campaign as they head into the final game of the calendar year sitting nine points adrift of safety – and that could be worse by the end of the weekend.
Saints sacked manager Russell Martin earlier this month and replaced him with Simon Rusk on an interim basis before the appointment of former Torino boss Ivan Juric. His first game saw them suffer a 1-0 loss at home to West Ham United in a game they really should have won.
Crystal Palace Team News: Hughes a doubt
In-form Will Hughes is a doubt for this weekend’s visit of Southampton after being substituted due to injury against Bournemouth and they also have some key injury concerns, as well as the suspension of Marc Guehi. Adam Wharton remains sidelined alongside Matheus Franca.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Chalobah, Lacroix, Richards; Munoz, Doucoure, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta
Unavailable: Guehi (Suspended), Wharton (Injured), Franca (Injured), Umeh-Chibueze (Injured)
Questionable: Riad (Fitness), Holding (Out of favour), Hughes (Injured)
Southampton Team News: Stephens injury
After returning from suspension, club captain Jack Stephens is now missing through injury for the next few weeks. Maxwel Cornet is back available after being ineligible to face his parent club West Ham United the other day.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Wood; Sugawara, Downes, Ugochukwu, Walker-Peters; Fernandes; Armstrong, Onuachu
Unavailable: Bazunu (Injured), Stephens (Injured), Smallbone (Injured), Stewart (Injured)
Questionable:
Crystal Palace vs Southampton Prediction
Crystal Palace play a reactive but intense style of football that is often suited to playing on the counter-attack and that is not necessarily something they’ll be able to do here. Southampton dominated the possession in most games of the Russell Martin era but are looking to become more direct following the appointment of the aforementioned Juric. That could mean a fairly dull encounter here, albeit with Palace expected to shade the outcome.
Crystal Palace vs Southampton Tip: Crystal Palace to win & under 3.5 goals
