Crystal Palace vs Southampton
Date: 21/01/2020
K/O: 19:30
Venue: Selhurst Park
Referee: Andre Marriner
Two mid-table sides in supreme bouts of form will face each other at Selhurst Park for this mid-week clash between two sides who generally don’t really like each other.
Southampton have lost just three times in their past 11 games in all competitions while, similarly, Palace have lost just twice. In fact, the Saints’ tally of 20 points from their 10 games before their loss to Wolves in the previous game-week, was second only to Manchester City in the Premier League over that stretch of games (disregarding the insane standards that Liverpool have set). The hosts for this fixture, Palace, are ranked seventh over the last 10 games – impressive all the same.
Since clap-gate, where Wilfried Zaha was infamously sent off for ‘applauding’ the referee’s decision to caution him (after he was fouled) when James Ward-Prowse laid his hands on the winger’s face, there hasn’t been much love lost between the sides.
It has been just over three weeks since the pair of sides last played each other and significant strides can be seen in Southampton’s general play, despite their loss from a winning position against Wolves on the weekend. Their 4-2-2-2 formation of organised chaos has become increasingly effective over recent weeks with the club scoring the sixth-most goals for and conceding the seventh least goals over the previous seven games. This is an incredible contrast considering they had conceded the most and scored just the sixth least throughout the opening 13 fixtures.
However, something of note that the club has struggled with over this incredible run of form is managing to withstand the attacks of a side who approach with precision and speed. Not to discredit the victories, but the Saints seemed to play the right teams at the right times; an out-of-sorts Leicester, a Tottenham side still finding their feet and Chelsea who are now experiencing the new manager ‘hangover’.
Notably, the five sides they have failed to beat during their last 11 games are sides whose attack is generally focussed around their own talismanic figures. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Allan Saint-Maximin, Pablo Fornals, Wilfried Zaha and Raúl Jiménez spearhead the attacks which are where the precision comes from. Coincidentally, four of these five players are in teams in the bottom half of the table for average possession (Arsenal are fifth) and this is where the notion of speed originates from.
It seems, organised counter-attacks betters organised chaos and this is exactly what Crystal Palace are best at. Palace well and truly displayed their counter-attacking prowess in their draws against a Mikel Arteta-led Arsenal and the reigning English Champions, Manchester City. Led by Zaha, the Eagles form a devastating figure on the counter.
In addition to their star player, Cenk Tosun has joined the ranks at Selhurst Park and has done so successfully with a goal in the two-all draw at the Etihad on the weekend. His ability to ignite troubling runs through the heart of opposition defences while troubling them with a physical presence despite his lighter frame – in comparison to the towering defenders of the Premier League – is similar to what Jordan Ayew has been able to produce so consistently this season.
The front trio worked so well against Manchester City that it will be hard to see any of them displaced, as long as Tosun can recover from such a short turnaround after so long without a game. Undoubtedly, they will trouble this revitalized Southampton side much like they did on the 28th of December. Nonetheless, a team in form is a team you cannot jump until they breakdown themselves, but was Southampton’s loss from a winning position against Wolves the start of the derailing?
Team News
Crystal Palace
Roy Hodgson has confirmed that the only change on the injury front is that Max Meyer is now fit to play. He expects several players to return over the next few weeks and when they do, he believes they will “feel like new signings” as he put it in his pre-match press conference for this fixture.
Joel Ward’s return to fitness could see him replace Martin Kelly in his natural right-back position, but Hodgson will have to determine whether Tuesday’s game is too quick of a return following his cameo appearance in Saturday’s draw at the Etihad.
Southampton
With a fixture in the FA Cup to come this weekend, Ralph Hasenhüttl will have to monitor more closely his team’s fitness levels if he wants his side to progress any further in the Cup.
When quizzed about resting players, specifically Danny Ings, Southampton’s head coach answered with: “It’s a big topic on my mind… With his history of injuries, we have done it right so far this season.” However, he did go on to mention that “He is also in a different mode; he can work more and is generally fitter.” Take of that what you will but a rest could be imminent.
Jan Bednarek has reportedly suffered an achilles injury in the loss to Wolves in the previous game-week and he now looms as a large doubt to feature in this upcoming game against Palace.
Predicted Starting XIs
Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Guaita; Ward, Tomkins, Cahill; Rïedewald; Kouyaté, McCarthur, McCarthy; Ayew, Tosun, Zaha
Southampton (4-2-2-2): McCarthy; Soares, Stephens, Vestergaard, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Højbjerg; Djenepo, Boufal; Ings, Long
Score Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Southampton
Palace’s home form is a worrying trend but their current streak of games presents as an undeniable case, unfortunately as does Southampton’s. A draw is certainly a plausible outcome considering the home side have six in their last nine fixtures while the Saints’ newfound attacking prowess is certainly commanding.
