Crystal Palace are aiming to maintain their excellent start to the campaign as they travel north to lock horns with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Eagles are currently fourth in the league table, having won two of their four matches, including an excellent victory against Manchester United. They will be hoping to cause yet another upset against their London rivals this weekend.
Here is how Roy Hodgson’s men could line-up in this London derby on Saturday afternoon.
Defence
Crystal Palace have three players doubtful against Tottenham in James Tomkins, Martin Kelly and Scott Dann. Kelly did start against Aston Villa in the last game but will likely be replaced by Mamadou Sakho in this encounter. Tomkins, meanwhile, has already lost his place in the starting lineup due to the arrival of Gary Cahill.
The former Chelsea star will form the central defensive pairing with ex-Liverpool star Sakho, at the heart of Palace’s four-man backline. That being said, both these players will expect a busy evening against the sharp Tottenham attack.
Joel Ward is a guaranteed starter at right-back, being the club’s only viable option in that position. Same can be said for Patrick van Aanholt on the opposite flank, especially following the departure of Bakary Sako.
Vicente Guaita, meanwhile, will continue to start in between the sticks for Crystal Palace, ahead of Wayne Hennessey.
Midfield
The addition of James McCarthy from Everton has given Hodgson an additional option in midfield. But, James McArthur is likely to get the nod, along with Cheikhou Kouyate, who will start ahead of Victor Camarasa. The ex-West Ham star’s robust style of play could be crucial in dealing with the technically gifted Spurs midfielders.
These two players will support the lone holding midfielder in Luka Milivojevic. The Serbian will play a key role not only in creating chances using set-pieces but also providing the security for the backline that has attained the best defensive record in the league so far, conceding just two goals.
Attack
The Crystal Palace attack will be led by Jordan Ayew, who has impressed in the past couple of games. He notably scored the winner against Aston Villa in the last game.
Ayew will be supported by the wide-attacking duo of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend, both of whom tend to shift into a central role, thus exerting pressure on the opposing defenders. Zaha, however, will look to take advantage of Davinson Sanchez’s vulnerability in the right-back slot.
