Crystal Palace will take on Liverpool this weekend and will hope to continue their good run which has seen them collect three wins and a draw in their last five games. Having lost just once, Palace have managed to move up to 15th in the league table and are seven points clear of the drop zone.
Sam Allardyce has proved once again why he is a highly-rated commodity amongst clubs who are in a turmoil and with the team he has at his disposal, he could pose a big threat to Liverpool who have hopes of finishing in the top four.
Palace have performed admirably against the bigger sides as they’ve collected points off Chelsea and Arsenal in recent games. While the three points against Chelsea showed how sturdy the Eagles can be defensively, the win over Arsenal showed Big Sam’s side can be a force in the attacking third if you take them lightly.
More often than not, Liverpool have managed to come up short against Palace and the travelling away fans will hope their side can once again upset the Reds at Anfield.
Here’s the expected Palace lineup to take on Liverpool (formation: 4-3-3).
Defence
Mamadou Sakho has been an absolute rock at the back and his absence, as he cannot face his parent club, will be a massive blow. Liverpool’s attack has been in good form even in the absence of Sadio Mane and Sakho could have been an assuring presence at the back. Damien Delaney is expected to deputise for the Frenchman and he’ll be partnered by former Liverpool defender Martin Kelly.
Patrick van Aanholt is fit again and he’ll be a good outlet on the left. Joel Ward will play as the right-back.
Midfield
Yohan Cabaye is amongst the goals again and the presence of a defensive-minded- midfielder like Luka Milivojevic has helped his cause. The two are expected to start in the double pivot in front of the defence with Cabaye playing the role of a box to box midfielder.
Jason Puncheon is expected to start in the number 10 position and his pace will trouble the Liverpool defence.
Attack
Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha have been key players under Sam Allardyce as they play a massive role in his counter-attacking setup. The two can stretch defences with their pace and have increased their output of late which has helped Christian Benteke thrive up front. The Belgian will want to prove a point against his former employers as he had a failed spell at Anfield and was shipped to Selhurst Park after just one season.