Match Details: Premier League, 14/09/2024, 15:00 Kick Off, Selhurst Park
Second-half display at Stamford Bridge has given Palace much needed confidence
Palace’s spirited second-half performance away at Chelsea provided the club with a timely confidence boost ahead of the first international break of the season.
Heading into the two-week break without a single point on the board would have been harsh on Oliver Glasner’s men who have been unfortunate in the early weeks of the Premier League campaign.
Eberechi Eze’s second half strike was enough to ensure that this was not the case, as his curling effort earned Palace a well-deserved point on the road.
For a twenty-minute spell in the second-half, the Eagles seemed to be back to their fluid best. Interplay between the attacking minefield duo of Eze and Daichi Kamada looked sharp, whilst Cheick Doucoure started to resemble the imperiously combative midfielder that he had been in his first season at the club.
Things finally feel as if they may be starting to click and the visit of Leicester City, back in the top-flight after a year's absence, looks a good opportunity for Palace to grab their first league win of the season.
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Saturday also provides fans with the first opportunity to see Palace’s deadline day acquisitions in action.
Registered too late to feature at Stamford Bridge the duo of Eddie Nketiah and Maxence Lacroix are both in contention for minutes at Selhurst Park. However, Trevoh Chalobah will have to wait for his Palace debut after picking up an abdominal injury in training.
The defensive reinforcement provided by Lacroix and Chalobah has come at just the right time for Glasner, who has had the deal with the departure Joachim Andersen as well as the unfortunate knee injury to summer signing Chadi Riad.
The arrival of Nketiah has also been greeted with optimism by the vast majority of Palace fans. The dynamic striker, renowned for his finishing ability, will certainly add a different dimension to Palace’s attack, but question marks remain as to how he will fit into Glasner’s system.
It seems unlikely that the Austrian will alter his 3-4-3 setup to accommodate two central strikers, so a fight for minutes with Jean-Phillipe Mateta looks to be on the cards for the 25-year-old.
The increased squad depth that can now be called upon will certainly provide Glasner and his staff with more options and ways of impacting proceedings.
Selection issues of this nature are a natural result of having a full and competitive squad - something Palace fans have been crying out for all summer long. It is now up to the manager to make it work.
Mixed start to life back in the top-flight won’t worry the Foxes
Leicester City bounced back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they stormed to the Championship title last season.
Spearheaded by legendary striker Jamie Vardy and led by new manager Steve Cooper, the East Midlands club face a difficult task in trying to avoid the drop this time around.
Following an impressive 1-1 draw in their first encounter of the season at home to Tottenham, the Foxes have suffered back-to-back defeats against Fulham and Aston Villa.
However, the calm and pragmatic Cooper will not be alarmed by this start. His side's survival hopes hinge on being able to consistently pick up points throughout the season, and his squad have shown enough in the first three league encounters to prove that they will be competitive.
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Perhaps Leicester’s biggest survival battle this season has already been fought and won off the pitch.
The club were successful in their appeal against alleged breaches of Profit and Sustainability rules and have all but confirmed that they will not receive a Premier League points deductions this season.
With that grey cloud now firmly eradicated, the 2015/16 Premier League champions will be hoping that on-pitch matters can now take centre-stage.
Consecutive games against Palace and Everton before a daunting trip to the Emirates will provide Steve Cooper’s side with an excellent chance to get up and running.
Early Team News
Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Adam Wharton, who withdrew from England’s U21 squad before the international break, is fit and available after taking some time to train individually.
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New loan signing Trevoh Chalobah is unavailable due to an abdominal injury while Matheus Franca is still recovering from a fractured rib.
Chadi Riad is “several weeks” away from a return to action, although the knee injury he sustained in the League cup victory over Norwich is not as bad as first feared.
Meanwhile, Leicester City travel to Selhurst Park with no fresh injury concerns. All of the Foxes’ international stars returned to the Midlands fully fit and ready for action.
Cooper is still without long-term absentee Patson Daka and will be unable to call upon the services of Odsonne Edouard who recently joined on loan from Palace in a deadline day move.
Jordan Ayew, another familiar face, will make a swift return to Selhurst Park and is in contention to start.
Player to Watch: Abdul Fatawu
Leicester’s young Ghanaian winger has been an ever present figure in the side’s attack at the start of this campaign.
Renowned for his close control, pace and technical ability, the 20-year-old is coming off the back of an impressive first season in English football in which his attacking threat helped Leicester to the Championship title.
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Whilst the step up to the Premier League is undoubtedly significant, early signs show that Fatawu is adapting well. After claiming an assist in his first outing, he will certainly be hungry to increase his attacking output.
Predicted Lineups
Crystal Palace: Henderson; Munoz, Clyne, Guehi, Richards, Mitchell; Wharton, Doucoure; Eze, Kamada; Mateta
Leicester City: Hermansen; Justin, Vestergaard, Faes, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Winks; Fatawu, Buonanotte, Ayew; Vardy
Match Officials
Referee: Tony Harrington
Assistants: Marc Perry and Derek Eaton
Fourth official: Simon Hooper
VAR: Andy Madley
Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes