Sunday 6 March 2016 13:38, UK
Out-of-form Crystal Palace face an inconsistent Liverpool at Selhurst Park on Super Sunday.
The home side have not won in their last 11 Premier League matches, picking up just four points from a possible 33 - their worst run of form for 18 years. In fact, Serie A's Atalanta, who are without a win in 12, are the only team on a longer winless run in the top five major European leagues.
The Eagles have been without Yannick Bolasie for much of this period - the winger missing two months with a hip injury. Bolasie returned to make his first start in 10 weeks in the 2-2 draw at Sunderland on Tuesday night, and assisted Connor Wickham's first goal.
When he sustained his injury just before Christmas, Palace were sixth in the table, level on points with Tottenham, but when Bolasie returned to feature as a sub at West Brom in late February, Palace had dropped 15 points off the top four.
The attacker has four goals and two assists in 15 league starts this season and scored in Palace's 2-1 win at Anfield last November, but he's set to come up against one of the most consistent right-backs in the Premier League this weekend.
Nathaniel Clyne returns to a ground where he spent his first four years as a professional, making 137 appearances for the Eagles between 2008 and 2012. But when he left to join Southampton in July 2012, Bolasie was just arriving from Bristol City.
Clyne, who started at left-back in Wednesday's win over Manchester City, has played every minute in the league for Liverpool this campaign - only five other outfield players have played every minute for their clubs this season.
Clyne is second to James Milner in terms of distance covered and sprints made on average for Liverpool, no mean feat considering Milner is the league's top player in terms of average distance run per game (12.35km). The right-back has made the joint-most interceptions for Liverpool (with Emre Can) and only Alberto Moreno and Milner have put in more crosses.
His form has made him the leading contender to be England's first-choice right-back at Euro 2016, and has started eight of England's last 12 internationals.
The match-up between Palace talisman Bolasie and the ever-consistent Clyne could prove crucial if Palace are to end their longest Premier League run without a win since 1998.
But if Clyne can keep the winger under wraps, it may help Liverpool end their dismal sequence of three successive defeats at Selhurst Park, the ground where the Reds stuttered in their title challenge two years ago, losing a three-goal lead to draw 3-3.
Who do you think will come out on top if Bolasie and Clyne go head-to-head this weekend? Leave a comment or tweet us @SkyFootball…
