Southampton continue their unlikely push for Premier League survival against Crystal Palace.
Southampton will remain rock-bottom regardless of the result, whilst Palace can climb to 11th with a win if Brentford lose at Newcastle.
Team News
Jan Bednarek is available for Southampton after recovering from a nose injury suffered whilst on international duty for Poland.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis (thigh) and James Bree (unspecified) are available but Will Smallbone (adductor), Juan Larios (fitness) and Ross Stewart (calf) remain ruled out.
Palace could welcome Will Hughes back into contention after he missed their FA Cup Quarter-Final victory at Fulham due to illness.
Joel Ward (calf), Cheick Doucoure and Chadi Riad (both knee) remain sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Southampton meet Palace at St Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday 2 April at 7:45pm BST, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Southampton are winless in their last five league meetings against Palace (D1, L4).
- Palace have lost one of their last six league trips to Southampton (W3, D2, L1).
- Eberechi Eze has scored three goals in Palace’s last two matches against Southampton (W2).
- Coming into this matchweek, no English goalkeeper has made more saves in the Premier League this season than Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale – with 91 saves in 21 appearances.
- Palace are unbeaten in their last nine away matches in the top-flight (W6, D3).
Prediction
With survival now a near-impossibility, Southampton have to treat every game in this run-in as simply a free hit if want to avoid going down with a record-lowest points tally in Premier League history, starting with a better defensive effort than they managed against Wolves whilst also being clinical up front early on.
Palace meanwhile were initially sloppy at Fulham but did well defensively whilst they grew into the game and were ultimately more clinical, of which I don’t see that changing if they continue their excellent away form and can control this game.
Southampton’s defence though will be key to the outcome because if it is more solid than usual then they might just grind out something, but I really can’t see Palace losing this such is their form on the road and quality capable of breaking the Saints’ back lines down.
Prediction: Southampton 1-2 Crystal Palace
Result: Southampton 1-1 Crystal Palace
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