Crystal Palace welcomes Stoke City at Selhurst Park Stadium on Saturday in a Premier League match that could see the hosts record their second league victory this season. Surprisingly, the only win that the Eagles have registered in this term came against the title's holders, Chelsea in the game that Crystal Palace prevailed with a 2-1 victory. Roy Hodgson's men salvaged a point last weekend in the game that ended 2-2 against Everton at Goodison Park. A win for the hosts will not be enough to remove Crystal Palace at the rock-bottom of the Premier League log, but it will make a foundation for exiting the last spot.
Stoke City shared the spoils with Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday with the game ending in a stalemate of 2-2. The Potters are currently placed at the fifteenth position in the league standings, so Mark Hughes' men have an opportunity to climb up to the ninth spot if they win.
Talking points
- In the last 58 meetings in all competitions featuring the two clubs, it's the Eagles who have had the biggest say winning a massive twenty-five contests while the Potters have won nineteen matches. The remaining thirteen matches ended in draws.
- The last eight encounters in all competitions between the two teams have seen Crystal Palace win six matches while Stoke City has just prevailed on one occasion. The remaining one confrontation ended in a draw.
- The previous five meetings involving Crystal Palace and Stoke City have realized a winner on each occasion. The Eagles have emerged victorious four times in those encounters with the Potters only winning just a game. The latest meeting saw Stoke City beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in a contest that the Potters hosted at Bet365 Stadium.
- Crystal Palace has failed to register a victory in twelve of its previous thirteen Premier League matches. The Eagles stunned Chelsea with a 2-1 win in mid-October.
- Roy Hodgson's men have scored at least two home goals in the last three Premier League matches they've played. In fact, the Eagles' last three Premier League games that they've hosted at Selhurst Park have realized at least a total of three goals.
- The Potters' last matches in the league have witnessed high-scoring with eight of the last nine Premier League matches accumulating at least a total of three goals. The only game in Stoke City's matches that recorded the low number of goals in that period was the 1-0 win at Watford late in October.
Team news
The game comes too early for Connor Wickham, Jordan Mutch, Lee Chung-Yong and Patrick van Aanholt who are automatic absentees due to injuries.
However, Roy Hodgson must be a happy man after seeing Christian Benteke returned to action the 2-2 draw against Everton even though the Belgian striker only played for fifteen minutes.
Stephen Ireland and Jack Butland are long-term absentees for the visitors with their return to activity remaining slim in the foreseeable future.
Geoff Cameron who has missed Stoke City's last three matches due to a concussion he suffered in training is doubtful but could join his teammates in the trip to the capital city's outskirts. Glen Johnson who has missed his side's previous two matches due to illness could recover in time to feature in the contest.
Probable teams: Crystal Palace: Speroni; Ward, Dann, Sakho, Schlupp; Loftus-Cheek, Cabaye, Milivojevic, McArthur; Townsend, and Zaha.
Stoke City: Grant, Zouma, Shawcross, Wimmer, Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Pieters, Shaqiri, Chuopo-Moting, and Sobhi
Full-time prediction: Crystal Palace 2-1 Stoke City
