Crystal Palace and Fulham resume their Premier League campaigns with a London derby at Selhurst Park on Boxing Day.
The Eagles are 11th in the table after 14 games. They have won three out of their last five Premier League outings and will want to maintain their strong home record when they host Fulham.
The Cottagers, on the other hand, are level on points with their London counterparts but two places above them due to a positive goal difference. An exciting first half of the season has allowed them to cement their place in the top half of the table, and coach Marco Silva will want his team to make a strong return by winning the London derby.
On that note, here are the key battles that could define the London derby on Monday.
#James Tomkins vs Carlos Vinicius
A defensive reshuffle will be witnessed for Crystal Palace having lost Marc Guehi to a one-game suspension for accumulating five yellow cards. In Guehi’s suspension, James Tomkins should step in to partner Joachim Andersen in central defence.
Having played just once in the league this season, Tomkins could be rusty and take some time to settle down in the game. This will be in the mind of Fulham coach Marco Silva and he might direct his team to target Tomkins.
As Fulham top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic has an ongoing foot problem and is unlikely to be fit enough to face Palace, Carlos Vinicius will be the man to lead the attack. The Brazilian could look to play on Tomkins’ shoulders and try to put him under pressure from the first minute.
#Wilfried Zaha vs Kenny Tete
Wilfried Zaha has once again been Crystal Palace’s talisman, creating chances, supplying assists and scoring goals. He has been directly involved in eight of Palace’s 15 Premier League goals this season, which demonstrates the kind of form the Ivory Coast international was in before the World Cup break.
Zaha will be raring to go again and make an impact against Fulham. Kenny Tete will be given the task of defending against Zaha and he will need to stop the forward from cutting inside since this is where the Palace star is most dangerous.
The Palace forward can have his excellent games but at the same time, he can also be frustrating. Tete will hope to keep Zaha under his control and limit his threat by not allowing him to cut inside often. The duel between Tete and Zaha will be one to keep a close eye on.
#Eberechi Eze vs Joao Palhinha
Behind Zaha, Eberechi Eze has been the most effective player for Palace. He has two goals and three assists in 14 games this season.
Operating in a box-to-box role in a midfield three for the Eagles, Eze likes to drive forward with the ball before making incisive passes for his teammates in the final third. With Cheick Doucoure holding the midfield, Eze has enjoyed the freedom to express himself more in the attacking end of the pitch for Palace.
Joao Palhinha has adapted to the Premier League like a duck to water, playing a big role in Fulham’s eye-catching performances during the first half of the season. The Portuguese is a defensive midfielder who excels in cutting the supply lines of the opposition and winning back possession for his team.
Nonetheless, Palhinha will have a tough ask on his hands to stop Eze from influencing the play for Palace, and whoever wins this midfield battle could have a big say in determining the outcome of the London derby.