Crystal Palace face a difficult encounter as Patrick Viera’s Eagles welcome Liverpool to Selhurst Park on Super Sunday.
Victory could see Palace climb to tenth if Leicester lose elsewhere, whereas Liverpool will stay second with a win.
Team News
Jordan Ayew could return for Crystal Palace after resuming training with the Eagles following his return from international duty, following Ghana’s early exit from 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.
James McArthur (hamstring), James Tomkins (unspecified), Cheikhou Kouyate and Wilfried Zaha (both international duty) remain absent.
Liverpool expect to have Fabinho and Joel Matip available after the pair suffered knocks in Thursday’s Carabao Cup win at Arsenal.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could also be in contention after missing the trip to North London with a minor ankle injury, which he suffered in last weekend’s win over Brentford.
Thiago Alcantara (hip), Divock Origi (knee), Nathaniel Phillips (cheekbone), Harvey Elliott (ankle), Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita (all international duty) are still absent.
Stat Attack
- Crystal Palace are winless in their last nine matches against Liverpool (L9).
- Liverpool have won each of their last six trips to Selhurst Park (W6), whilst Sadio Mane has scored in each of their last four visits with three of his four goals coming after half-time.
- Palace have conceded 16 goals in their last four matches against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds without scoring.
- No Palace player this season has lost more aerial battles than Christian Benteke, who has lost 52 aerial battles in 20 league appearances.
- 26 of Liverpool’s 55 league goals have been scored by Mohamed Salah (16) and Diogo Jota (10).
Prediction
Despite finding themselves outclassed at Brighton last weekend, Palace did well to get stuck into the game and claim the lead with second-half improvement despite conceding a late equaliser against relentless pressing from the Seagulls.
Liverpool meanwhile seem to be in control despite missing Salah and Mane up front because other players have stepped up, which is a huge positive given their form in this fixture in recent seasons and I can see them continuing to kick on after a clinical midweek win.
Mane though has been a key threat for Liverpool against Palace so I feel like this is a huge opportunity for the hosts to cause issues given his absence, yet Liverpool do look strong enough to cope well and I can’t see them not winning if they play like they did in their last two games.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Result: Crystal Palace 1-3 Liverpool
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