Crystal Palace will look to capitalise on the momentum gathered from their 2-1 win over Huddersfield Town as they travel to north London to face Tottenham Hotspur tonight.
The Eagles have had a mixed record in the past couple of matches, but a win against Spurs could lift them above Bournemouth in the league table.
Crystal Palace team news
Mamadou Sakho will be the only absentee for Crystal Palace, as confirmed by head coach Roy Hodgson during Tuesday’s press conference.
Predicted Crystal Palace lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-3)
Defence
It’s unlikely that Hodgson will be looking to make any alteration to his side’s defence, especially after an impressive showing against Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Therefore, we can expect the likes of Aaron Wan Bissaka and Patrick van Aanholt to hold their places in the starting lineup. They will occupy the fullback slots and will brace themselves for a busy afternoon against the likes of Ben Davies and Kieran Trippier.
Scott Dann, on the other hand, will continue to deputise for the injured Sakho in central defence. He will be partnered by the ever-present figure of James Tomkins at the heart of Palace’s four-man backline.
Vicente Guaita will once again start ahead of Wayne Hennessey in goal as the Spaniard looks to continue his excellent run of form this year.
Midfield
We could expect a slight alteration to be made in midfield by Hodgson this week, with Max Meyer likely to make way for the industrious James McArthur. The Scot’s impressive work ethic could prove to be more effective against a Tottenham side when compared to the attack-minded nature of Meyer.
McArthur will be partnered by Jeffrey Schlupp and Luka Milivojevic, who will be tasked with the responsibility of providing the defensive cover for the backline by neutralizing the threat of players like Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli. His effective set-pieces could also create problems for the Lilywhites.
Attack
Palace will likely remain unchanged in the attacking department, with Michy Batshuayi leading the attack, partnered by the wide-duo of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend.
However, coach Hodgson will have the luxury to start with Christian Benteke should he opt for a more one-sided approach, where both the wide players in Zaha and Townsend will look to whip in crosses into the box. Jordan Ayew will provide the 71-year-old with an additional option in the final third.
