Crystal Palace vs Everton – News and Probable Lineups

Crystal Palace is not only keeping one eye on Leipzig but must also remain focused on their Premier League campaign as they gear up to face Everton at Selhurst Park this Sunday.

The Eagles find themselves at minor risk of relegation, while their opponents are still in contention for a European spot.

Match overview

Last season’s FA Cup victory represented a pinnacle for Crystal Palace, yet they could achieve even greater success in just over a year by aiming for continental glory – albeit in a more modest sense.

As they look to avoid a disastrous turnaround in the second leg of their Conference League quarter-final against Shakhtar Donetsk – having won 3-1 away two Thursdays ago – Oliver Glasner’s squad confidently reached the final with a 2-1 lead in the match and an aggregate of 5-2.

Now standing in the way of Palace’s quest for their first-ever European trophy is La Liga side Rayo Vallecano, which has been the hosts’ primary focus for several weeks, but Glasner’s squad still needs to ensure their top-flight status.

Consecutive defeats to Bournemouth and Liverpool have left the Eagles in 15th place in the Premier League, seven points clear of the relegation zone with three matches left, meaning a win on Sunday would secure their safety.

Despite a downturn in their attacking output – ranking 19th in the Premier League for shots and shots on target since Glasner’s departure was announced on January 16 – Palace have become increasingly resilient at home, remaining unbeaten in eight matches at Selhurst Park and conceding just two goals in that span.

In contrast, Everton conceded more goals in 90 minutes against Manchester City than Crystal Palace has during their last 720 minutes of home fixtures, with the third goal from the Citizens in Monday’s thrilling 3-3 draw especially hard-hitting for David Moyes and his side.

Jeremy Doku opened and closed the scoring, delivering exquisite curls from outside the box, but in between his strikes, Everton managed to jump to a 3-1 lead against the faltering Sky Blues, doing all they could to aid former player Mikel Arteta.

A point gained against Pep Guardiola’s squad is still a commendable achievement, yet it extended the Toffees’ winless run in the Premier League to four matches and left them four points from the top six.

Having also experienced late heartbreak against their Merseyside counterparts Liverpool and West Ham United, Everton have conceded a result-changing goal in the 90th minute or later in each of their last three fixtures, marking a first in Premier League history.

Moyes’s team has now allowed at least two goals in six of their past eight top-flight matches – including all four of their recent away games – but they have triumphed in their last three encounters against Palace, each by a score of 2-1.

Team News

Idrissa Gueye, a veteran for Everton, missed the thrilling match against Manchester City due to a minor injury and is unlikely to return to training in time for Sunday’s fixture.

While Jack Grealish would normally be available after serving his ineligibility, the Manchester City loanee continues to recover from a significant foot injury, and Jarrad Branthwaite (hamstring) also remains unavailable.

After making an impact off the bench on Monday with a brace – albeit due to some poor defending from City – Thierno Barry is in contention to take Beto’s place in the attack, which may represent Everton’s only change.

Speaking for the Conference League finalists, Glasner has indicated that there are no new issues following Thursday’s remarkable victory, although he mentioned several players who might be given a rest this weekend.

Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr may all be in line for a break, though Borna Sosa’s situation adds complications for Glasner if he opts to bench Mitchell.

Eddie Nketiah (thigh), Evann Guessand (knee), and Cheick Doucoure are still sidelined for the Eagles.

Crystal Palace probable starting XI:

Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Riad; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Cardines; Johnson, Devenny; Strand Larsen

Everton probable starting XI:

Pickford; O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Rohl, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry

Given Everton’s tendency to concede goals, it’s unlikely the Toffees will leave Sunday’s encounter unscathed, but they may exploit Palace’s potential fatigue and expected changes in the lineup.

The hosts’ attacking statistics in the league over the last four months are also concerning, which leads us to believe that Moyes’s team could return to winning ways and maintain their European ambitions.