In what has been a very busy season already, the Eagles continue to bounce between competitions as they return to the Premier League for the final game before another international break.
It is quite a game as well, with rivals Brighton heading to Selhurst Park for the Sunday kick off.
The midweek result in the Conference League against AZ Alkmaar was very pleasing and propelled Palace back up the league phase table, with three to play.
In contract, the visitors have had a restful week having not qualified for European competition this season, but managed a convincing home victory over newly promoted Leeds United.
The Seagulls will no doubt be smarting after the Eagles managed an impressive double against them last season, and have not managed a win in South London for over six years. You have to go back to March 2019 where they secured a 2-1 win.
Oliver Glasner is expecting a close to fully fit squad other than longer term absentee Cheick Doucoure. Chadi Riad suffered a setback after being included in the squad against Alkmaar, while Marc Guehi suffered a knock but should be okay.
There remains a question mark over Adam Wharton after his cameo in the second half on Thursday evening, who is continuing to manage the illness that kept him out of the cup game at Anfield.
The Eagles currently have the longest unbeaten at home in the Premier League, which currently sits at 13 games. Glasner spoke in his press conference how important that is and how much the fans have played a part in that run.
The Austrian also touched on the amount of games that Palace have already played this season and have to play, when asked about the toll it is taking. His response? Typical Glasner – ‘when you once try honest, you want to taste it again, because it is so sweet‘.
Let’s hope that we have that sweet taste in the mouth at 4pm on Sunday, rather than a sour one!
🦅 Crystal Palace Form & Team News
- Recent Form: Palace are flying high with three consecutive wins, including a 3-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Conference League. They’ve also beaten Brentford and Liverpool recently.
- League Position: 9th in the Premier League with 16 points from 10 matches.
- Key Players:
- Jean-Philippe Mateta: 6 league goals, including 4 in his last 3 games.
- Ismaila Sarr: Doubtful due to hamstring tightness.
- Injuries: Cheick Doucoure, Eddie Nketiah, and Chadi Riad are likely out.
- Home Record: Unbeaten at home this season, with 2 wins and 3 draws.
🐦 Brighton Form & Team News
- Recent Form: Brighton bounced back with a 3-0 win over Leeds, featuring goals from Danny Welbeck and Diego Gomez.
- League Position: 10th with 15 points, just one behind Palace.
- Key Players:
- Danny Welbeck: 6 goals this season, in strong form.
- Diego Gomez: Emerging threat with recent brace.
- Injuries: James Milner, Brajan Gruda, Solly March, Adam Webster, and Jack Hinshelwood are out. Kaoru Mitoma is a doubt.
- Away Record: Poor, with only 4 of their 15 points earned away from home.
🔍 Head-to-Head & Derby Dynamics
- Palace won both fixtures last season (3-1 away, 2-1 home).
- Brighton have not won at Selhurst Park in their last few visits.
- This is a fierce rivalry despite the 40-mile gap, with bragging rights and European ambitions at stake.
🧠 Predictions
- Most Likely Outcome: A tight match with both teams scoring.
- Score Predictions:
- Sports Mole: Palace 2-1 Brighton
- NBC Sports: 1-1 Draw
- Standard: Palace 1-0 Brighton
- Forebet: 2-2 Draw
📺 How to Watch
- UK: Live on Sky Sports+, kickoff at 2pm GMT
- US: Stream via Peacock Premium
