Crystal Palace will take on Wolves in the Premier League on Sunday, looking to get back to winning ways here.
Crystal Palace, who face Wolves next, have failed to win their last two league matches, drawing against Brentford and losing to Arsenal. They will look to bounce back strongly, and a home win over Wolves would give them some much-needed confidence boost.
Meanwhile, Wolves ended their losing streak with a win over Everton last weekend, and they will look to extend that run of form with a positive result here.
The visitors lost their first two matches of the league campaign against Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion. They will fancy their chances against Crystal Palace here, and it will be interesting to see if the away side can pull off an upset at Selhurst Park.
The boss will be speaking to the media at 13:30 (BST) this afternoon 🎙
Watch LIVE on Palace TV+ 📺
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 1, 2023
Team News & Tactics
Crystal Palace
The home side will be without the services of Michael Olise, who has been ruled out until the end of the month with a thigh injury. Meanwhile, Matheus Franca is sidelined as well with a back injury.
Roy Hodgson is likely to field his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Sam Johnstone in goal. Joel Ward and Tyrick Mitchell will be deployed as the full-backs here. Joachim Andersen will start at the heart of the defence alongside Marc Guehi. New signing Rob Holding will thus miss out.
In the midfield double pivot, Cheick Doucoure will start alongside Jefferson Lerma. While Doucoure will look to break up the opposition attacks, Lerma will look to add drive and physicality in the middle of the park.
Odsonne Edouard and Jordan Ayew will be deployed as the wide forwards here, and they will look to add creativity and goals to the side. Eberechi Eze will continue as the central attacking midfielder, with Jean-Philippe Mateta leading the line for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Lerma; Ayew, Eze, Edouard; Mateta
Wolves
The visitors will be without Joseph Hodge, who is ruled out with a thigh injury. The away side are likely to start in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Jose Sa in goal. Matt Doherty and Rayan Ait-Nouri will be deployed as the full-backs.
The two players will look to help out defensively and set up counter-attacking opportunities. At the heart of the Wolverhampton Wanderers defence, Craig Dawson will start alongside Max Kilman.
Pedro Neto and Pablo Sarabia will be deployed as the wingers here, and they will look to add creativity and flair from the wide areas. Joao Gomes will start alongside Mario Lemina in the middle of the park, and the two players will look to add creativity and control to the side.
Matheus Cunha should start behind the central striker, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Finally, Sasa Kaladjzic will lead the line for Wolves against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Sa; Doherty, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Neto, Lemina, Gomes, Sarabia; Cunha; Kalajdzic
Key Stats
- Crystal Palace have won their last three home matches against Wolves in all competitions.
- 11 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two sides.
- Crystal Palace have won four of their last six matches against Wolves.
- Wolves have failed to score three times in the last five meetings between these two sides.
Player to Watch
Eberechi Eze
Game changer 👇 pic.twitter.com/ygPbB14Ldy
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 30, 2023
The 25-year-old Crystal Palace midfielder has started the season well, and he picked up two assists in his last outing against Plymouth Argyle. He will be confident heading into this contest, and he has the technical attributes to open up the Wolves defence with his flair and link-up play. Crystal Palace will need Eze in top form in order to break down the away defence.
Prediction
Crystal Palace 2-1 Wolves
On paper, Crystal Palace are the better team, and they have done better than Wolves in the Premier League so far. The South Londoners have an impressive record against Sunday’s opposition as well, and they should be able to find a way past the away defence.
Palace have a number of quality attacking options, and they should be able to edge this one. Neither side are particularly good defensively, and a narrow 2-1 victory for the home side is on the cards here.