Crystal Palace will be eager to return to winning ways when they welcome Bournemouth to Selhurst Park on Wednesday.
Gameweek 15 of the 2023/24 Premier League season continues on Wednesday. Six matches will grace us on the day, with the action kicking off with the game between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace started the season well, with Sam Johnstone and the team’s defensive unit providing a solid base to build positive results on. But the Eagles have won only one of their last seven games, with that victory coming against the relegation-threatened Burnley. The poor run has dropped Roy Hodgson’s men out of the top half of the table.
On the other hand, Bournemouth started the 2023/24 season poorly, with Andoni Iraola struggling to get his ideas through. But the Cherries have been on the rise in recent weeks, losing only one of their last five games. Such a run of results has helped them get out of the relegation zone, climbing to 16th on the table, only three behind Crystal Palace.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-0 for Crystal Palace, with Eberechi Eze scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Crystal Palace
Roy Hodgson does not have any new injuries hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Bournemouth on Wednesday, the Crystal Palace manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players.
Cheick Doucoure (Achilles) and Eberechi Eze (ankle) are the most notable absentees, although the latter is closing in on regaining fitness. But Eze and Crystal Palace’s medical staff differ over the timeline for his return.
Meanwhile, Dean Henderson (hamstring), Rob Holding (ankle), and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh) remain on the sidelines. Crystal Palace will line up in a 4-3-3 formation against Bournemouth, with Sam Johnstone taking his spot between the sticks. A back-four of Joel Ward, Tyrick Mitchell, Joachim Andersen, and Marc Guehi will protect the Englishman.
As for the midfield unit, Doucoure’s absence hurts Crystal Palace, meaning Jefferson Lerma will have added responsibility in the middle of the park. Jeffrey Schlupp and Will Hughes will support Lerma while providing the forward thrust. Finally, Odsonne Edouard will spearhead the attack, with Jordan Ayew and Michael Olise completing the numbers in the offensive department.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Hughes, Lerma, Schlupp; Olise, Edouard, Ayew
Bournemouth
Like his counterpart in the Crystal Palace dugout, Andoni Iraola does not have any new issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park. The Bournemouth manager will be without seven first-team players on Wednesday.
Tyler Adams has yet to make his Bournemouth debut as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. The USMNT international accompanies Darren Randolph (illness), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Lloyd Kelly (thigh), Max Aarons (hamstring), Alex Scott (knee), and Emiliano Marcondes (ankle) in the treatment room.
Neto will take his usual spot between the sticks, with Bournemouth lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him. The defensive quartet should not see any surprises, with Illia Zabarnyi, Marcos Senesi, Milos Kerkez, and Adam Smith forming the backline.
As for the midfield unit, Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, allowing the offensive quartet to freely express themselves in the final third. Dominic Solanke will spearhead the Bournemouth attack against Crystal Palace, with Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier, and Justin Kluivert forming the supporting cast.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Tavernier, Kluivert, Semenyo; Solanke
Key Stats
- Crystal Palace have won their last five games against Bournemouth in the Premier League, keeping a clean sheet in the most recent four, with the fifth an eight-goal thriller at Selhurst Park in May 2019.
- Bournemouth won only one of their first 11 games of the 2023/24 season but are unbeaten in their last three.
- On the other hand, Crystal Palace have failed to win their last three Premier League games, emerging victorious in just one of the most recent seven fixtures. The Eagles have not won at home in any competition since beating Wolves on September 3, and that 3-2 success is also the only victory they have claimed at Selhurst Park this season.
- Both teams have found the back of the net in four of Crystal Palace’s last five fixtures.
- Bournemouth have lost 12 of their most recent 16 Premier League games in London (W2 D2), with those victories coming at Chelsea in December 2019 and Tottenham Hotspur last season.
Player to Watch
Odsonne Edouard
Goals have come at a premium for Crystal Palace this season, and they have found the back of the net only 14 times in 14 Premier League games. So, Roy Hodgson will look towards his star striker to stop the rut and help his team get the better of Bournemouth this midweek.
The French striker is the top scorer for Crystal Palace this season, scoring seven goals in 14 games. The next best on the list has not even scored half of that. So, Edouard needs to be at his best on Wednesday to deliver the three points that Hodgson seeks from this game. Failure to do so will condemn the Eagles to another underwhelming result.
Prediction
Crystal Palace 1-1 Bournemouth
The two teams come into the game on the back of contrasting runs of form. In addition, Crystal Palace’s home form this season leaves much to be desired. So the visitors will fancy their chances of getting the better of the South London club at Selhurst Park this midweek.
Dominic Solanke is in good form and should continue his fine run by finding the back of the net on Wednesday. But Odsonne Edouard will rise to the occasion, helping Crystal Palace clinch a point against Bournemouth. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw.
