Crystal Palace faced their ninth loss of the season at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion as the Eagles went down 3-1 at the Amex Stadium in their midweek fixture. The loss pushes them down to the 15th spot on the Premier League table, and it is high time that Roy Hodgson’s team finds a way to bounce back from this current predicament.
The Eagles are set to face an in-form West Ham United side in their next match at Selhurst Park. The Hammers have won back to back matches and are in good form, but Crystal Palace would need to keep their composure and play the party spoilers when the east London club travels to south London this weekend.
Team News
Roy Hodgson has a fully fit squad at his disposal except for long-term absentee striker Christian Benteke. The absence of a top quality finisher has been the biggest problem for the Eagles, and Benteke’s absence has made the situation even worse for them.
Goalkeeper
Wayne Hennessey will start in the goal for the south London club once again. The custodian has already conceded 20 goals this season and needs to bounce back with a clean sheet in the match against West Ham United.
Defence
Aaron Wan-Bissaka will start as the right back with Patrick Van Aanholt guarding the left side of the backline. The heart of the defence would be guarded by the likes of James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho, who would need to put the disappointment of the last defeat behind them.
Midfield
Luka Milivojevic and Cheikhou Kouyate will start in the central midfield and should be accompanied by James McArthur on the right and Max Meyer on the left.
Attack
In the absence of a top quality marksman to lead the line for Palace, the onus to score goals will be on the two make-shift strikers Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend to find the back of the net and lead their side to a much-needed victory against West Ham United.
Predicted Formation: 4-4-2
