Crystal Palace welcome high-flying Leicester City to Selhurst Park in the first of a festive Bank Holiday round of Premier League action.
Palace can move ten points clear of 18th placed Fulham with a win, whilst victory would see Leicester climb to second.
Team News
Palace have no fresh injury concerns after Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa.
Wayne Hennessey, Martin Kelly, Connor Wickham (all thigh), Gary Cahill (hamstring), Martin Kelly and Mamadou Sakho (both calf) all remain ruled out.
Leicester could welcome Caglar Soyuncu back from a groin injury that has sidelined the defender in recent weeks.
Ricardo Pereira remains absent with a slightly more tricky groin injury and could be joined on the treatment table by Cengiz Under due to a hamstring knock.
Stat Attack
- Crystal Palace are unbeaten in five of their last seven meetings against Leicester (W4, D1, L2).
- Leicester have won just two of six previous trips to Selhurst Park in the Premier League this century (W2, D1, L3), keeping clean sheets during both victories.
- Foxes’ Jamie Vardy scored three goals in two league appearances against Palace last season.
- Roy Hodgson’s Eagles have conceded 11 goals in their last four home league games, compared to just three goals leaked in their first three league matches at Selhurst Park this season.
- Vardy has scored four goals in four of Leicester’s last five away league trips.
Prediction
Palace come into this match low on confidence because their defending has been terrible in their last two games, with ten goals conceded yet they have failed to score at the opposite end despite continuing to show their dangerous attacking quality.
Leicester meanwhile showed real bravery to twice fight back from behind to draw against Manchester United, although this is a chance for them to show their quality given how strong they have been on the road this season in all competitions.
Selhurst Park and Palace however have been quite a bogey team for the Foxes in recent seasons, so I am expecting a good game here but if Leicester can soak up the pressure and deliver clinical football then I can see a comfortable win here against this shaky Eagles defence.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 0-2 Leicester City
Result: Crystal Palace 1-1 Leicester City
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