FA Cup champions Crystal Palace return to Premier League action on Tuesday when they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Selhurst Park.
Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley on Saturday to claim the FA Cup and are currently 12th with 49 points, while 14th-placed Wolves have eight points fewer and lost 2-0 against Brighton & Hove Albion on May 10.
Match preview
The hosts’ 16th-minute goal in the FA Cup final was the first of their two shots on target, and boss Oliver Glasner will not care that his side could have easily conceded had City converted any of their three big chances given his players left as champions.
Palace’s victory means they will be playing Europa League football next term, though they could still finish as high as 10th in the Premier League, which would be their joint highest finish since their first season back in the top flight in 2013-14.
Following the Eagles’ 2-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur on May 11 in their most recent Premier League game, the club only need one more point to surpass their highest points total since returning to the division.
Glasner’s side come into Tuesday’s fixture on a two-game winning streak, and they avoided defeat in their previous four, drawing three matches.
Palace’s displays at Selhurst Park have been excellent, with the club unbeaten in their last eight at home, winning six times while keeping four clean sheets and scoring 15 goals.
Opponents Wolves lost 2-0 against Brighton & Hove Albion on May 10, a clash in which the victors netted both of their big chances, though their figure of 0.78 non-penalty xG was less than Wolves’ figure of 0.91 xG.
The visitors have not scored in their past two outings – conceding three – but they did keep three clean sheets and score 13 goals in their prior six.
Head coach Vitor Pereira will hope to improve their poor record against Palace, as while they earned a point after drawing 2-2 with their hosts in the reverse fixture on November 2, they have been beaten in seven of their last nine meetings with the Londoners.
The Old Gold had won the six games prior to their two most recent matches – beating the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – but losses to Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion ended their winning streak.
Wolves have emerged victorious in four of their past five on the road in the Premier League, but they have lost five and drawn one of their last six at Selhurst Park.
Team News
Predicting Palace’s lineup could be difficult given many members of the starting XI could change due to the team’s tiring exploits in the FA Cup.
With concerns about centre-back Marc Guehi, midfielder Jefferson Lerma could fill in for the captain in the backline and play alongside central defenders Chris Richards and Maxence Lacroix.
Adam Wharton‘s fitness is also in doubt, while Cheick Doucoure is injured, so perhaps Will Hughes and Daichi Kamada will partner each other in a double pivot.
Romain Esse and Edward Nketiah may start in attack alongside Ismaila Sarr, with Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta rested.
As for Wolves, they will be without goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and centre-back Yerson Mosquera, and their absence could see Pereira start Matt Doherty, Emannuel Agbadou and Toti Gomes in front of Jose Sa.
Elsewhere, attackers Enso Gonzalez, Hwang Hee-Chan, Leon Chiwome and Sasa Kalajdzic are all set to miss out due to injury.
Talisman Matheus Cunha can be expected to play in a supportive role next to Marshall Munetsi, and the duo could be stationed behind Goncalo Guedes.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Lerma; Clyne, Hughes, Kamada, Mitchell; Esse, Sarr; Nketiah
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Doherty, Agbadou, T Gomes; Semedo, J Gomes, Andre, Nouri; Munetsi, Cunha; Guedes
We say: Crystal Palace 1-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Despite the injuries in Wolves’ forward line, they should be confident of creating numerous chances against a celebratory Palace side.
Given the Eagles will almost certainly rest key stars on Tuesday, the visitors should be seen as clear favourites to claim all three points.
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