Crystal Palace go into their most crucial game of the season on the back of a surprise victory at home to Chelsea. Confidence is sky high in the Palace camp after results went our way at the weekend. The Eagles have a slightly more comfortable 5 point cushion above the relegation zone.
Tony Pulis, however, said Palace shouldn’t get ahead of themselves just yet as they head West to Wales to take on relegation threatened Cardiff City. The Bluebirds have only won twice in the tenure of new boss Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and find themselves in eighteenth place; three points adrift of safety.
Palace manager Tony Pulis confirmed Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh is fit, and likely to start on the bench having missed the last 4 games through a hamstring injury. No other injury concerns for the Eagles boss as he has a full contingent to select from for the trip to South Wales.
Hawthorns hero Mats Moller Delhi may be rewarded with a start as the 19 year old helped Cardiff claim a valuable point in their survival battle. Top scorer Fraizer Campbell may start along side him. Ex-Palace starlet Wilfried Zaha is in line to face off against his former team mates in this crucial Premier League match. Fabio, on loan from Manchester United, is the only man missing from the Solskjaer’s squad.
The last time the sides met, it was in December at Selhurst Park. Palace claimed all 3 points after goals from Cameron Jerome and Marouane Chamakh gave manager Tony Pulis Palace’s first back-to-back Premier League wins since 2004.
Last Time Out:
Saturday December 7th 2013
Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace XI
01 Speroni
02 Ward
21 Moxey (Mariappa 25′)
08 Dikgacoi
19 Gabbidon
27 Delaney
13 Puncheon
15 Jedinak
30 Jerome
29 Chamakh
46 Bannan (O’Keefe 84′)
Cardiff XI
01 Marshall
28 Théophile-Catherine
42 John
08 Medel
04 Caulker
06Turner
19 Cowie (Noone 45′)
07 Whittingham
10 Campbell (Cornelius 68′)
18 Mutch
13 Kim (Odemwingie 60′)
Attendance: 23,705
Referee: Mike Jones
Here are some statistics from our friends at Who Scored;
- Last 6 games between the two teams it’s three wins each although one of those for Cardiff was on penalties
- Only one of those 6 games have Palace failed to score against Cardiff
- The aggregate score from the 6 games is Cardiff 7-9 Palace
- Form guide – Palace LDLDLW – Chelsea LLWLLD
- Form players – Jedinak (7.43), Caulker (7.10)
- Top scorers – Chamakh (5), Mutch (7)
- Top assists – Whittingham (5), Mutch (5)
- Appearances – Caulker (32), Jedinak (31), Speroni (31), Marshall (31)
- Bookings – Chamakh (8), Jedinak (7), Delaney (7)
- Shots per game – Puncheon (2.1), Campbell (1.6)
- Pass success – Medel (88.5%), Ledley (79.1%)
- Aeriel duels won – Chamakh (5.2), Jedinak (4.5), Caulker (3.9)
- Popular prediction – Cardiff 1-1 Crystal Palace
Article written by our fan in the North, Adam Johnson.
