Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar – News and Probable Lineups

On Thursday night, Crystal Palace will welcome Shakhtar Donetsk as they aim to secure a spot in the Conference League final.

Following a 3-1 win in the first leg of their semi-final last week, Palace is looking to reach a European final for the very first time in their club’s history.

Match overview

While Palace still has a chance to qualify for Europe next season through the Premier League, it has become clear that Oliver Glasner is beginning to focus on this tournament.

The Austrian manager put out a strong lineup for last week’s first leg, with Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada, and Jorgen Strand Larsen all finding the net.

Sarr’s opening goal was his eighth in this season’s Conference League, tying him as the top goalscorer in the tournament.

Palace will seek to achieve their fourth consecutive clean sheet at Selhurst Park during the knockout stages, the last of which came in a 3-0 triumph over Fiorentina in the quarter-finals.

However, the London side has suffered three losses in their last five fixtures across all competitions, including a 3-0 defeat at Bournemouth on Sunday.

Conversely, Shakhtar has achieved six victories and two losses in their last nine matches in various competitions, with their sole defeat occurring against Palace.

On Sunday, Arda Turan’s team secured a 2-1 win against Dynamo Kiev, extending their lead to 10 points at the top of the Ukrainian Premier League.

Following a third-place finish last season, their current campaign has the potential to be highly successful, though there may be disappointment over having allowed Palace to gain a significant advantage in the tie while chasing their first European trophy since the 2008-09 UEFA Cup.

With his team falling behind by two goals, Turan might be worried since Shakhtar has only recorded one clean sheet in their last seven outings.

Shakhtar also hasn’t had a victory over English teams since defeating Manchester City 2-1 during the 2017-18 Champions League.

Team News

Glasner might revert to the starting XI that began the first leg, with the likes of Adam Wharton, Sarr, and Jean-Philippe Mateta potentially making a return.

Chris Richards and Tyrick Mitchell are expected to come back into the defence. Chadi Riad, Jefferson Lerma, Justin Devenny, Brennan Johnson, and Strand Larsen could be set to drop out.

Cheick Doucoure, Evann Guessand, and Eddie Nketiah will all continue to be sidelined.

Lucas Ferreira and Lassina Traore are both vying for opportunities in the final third for Shakhtar after scoring the goals that secured the win over Dynamo Kiev on Sunday.

However, after resting some key players last weekend, Turan may choose to maintain the same team from the first leg.

Centre-back Marlon suffered an injury in the match against Dynamo Kiev and is a significant doubt for the visitors.

Crystal Palace probable starting XI:

Henderson; Canvot, Richards; Lacroix; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Mateta, Pino

Shakhtar Donetsk probable starting XI:

Riznyk; Tobias, Bondar, Matvienko, Henrique; Ocheretko, Gomes, Pedrinho; Alisson, Elias, Eguinaldo

Despite the situation allowing Shakhtar to take risks, very few teams leave Selhurst Park with a two-goal victory. While it is likely there will be some tense moments for the Eagles, we anticipate they will emerge victorious in one of the most significant matches in their history.