Crystal Palace vs Burnley preview: Palace look to end winless home run
Saturday 1 December 2018 07:43, UK
Crystal Palace will be hoping to end their wait for a first home win of the season when they host Burnley on Saturday.
Palace have taken just two points from six matches at Selhurst Park this season and are winless in their last eight games in the league.
They have, though, shown some encouraging signs in recent weeks as they have drawn with Manchester United and Arsenal and lost narrowly to Tottenham.
"I think the performances the team have given have been perfectly satisfactory," said manager Roy Hodgson.
"We've been in the games and had our chances to win them. 'Getting what you deserve' has no part in football, you get what you get."
Burnley's difficult season continued with a 2-1 home defeat by Newcastle on Monday, leaving them one point off the bottom of the table and without a victory in six games.
But manager Sean Dyche remains convinced his team are on the right track.
He said: "The lads have been terrific, the last couple of weeks especially, the level of training, the level of commitment.
"You're looking in their eyes on the training pitch and you think, 'They're ready to go'. The way the players are going about it is the right way to change results.
"No one will ever put as much pressure on you as you put on yourself. It is balanced out with frustration but then equally those two things are balanced out when I see a group of players committed as they are and delivering performances that I think are improving, that gives you a real belief in what you do."
Team news
Christian Benteke remains out for Palace with a knee injury but Connor Wickham and Scott Dann are available to return.
Burnley defenders James Tarkowski and Ben Gibson both took part in a training game on Tuesday following hernia operations and are in contention for the game at Selhurst Park.
Opta stats
- Crystal Palace have lost three of their last four Premier League games against Burnley, although they won the most recent meeting in January 2018 at Selhurst Park.
- In league competition, Burnley have won just one of their last 12 away matches against Crystal Palace (D6 L5), a 2-0 win in April 2017 in the Premier League.
- Six of Burnley's eight Premier League goals against Crystal Palace have come in the opening 20 minutes, with their fastest ever Premier League goal coming against the Eagles in November 2016 (Sam Vokes - one minute, 18 seconds).
- Crystal Palace have failed to win their opening six home Premier League matches (W0 D2 L4) of a season for a third time, also doing so in 1992-93 and 1997-98 - they were relegated in both of those seasons.
- Burnley have lost their last three away Premier League games in London, conceding at least four goals in every match (13 goals in total). The last team to concede four or more in four consecutive away top-flight visits to London were Leicester City in August 1965.
- Burnley haven't won any of their last 21 away top-flight matches in December (D7 L14) since a 1-0 win in December 1969 against West Bromwich Albion.
- Burnley manager Sean Dyche has won three of his last four Premier League games against Crystal Palace (L1), although that one loss came in their most recent encounter in January, with Roy Hodgson at the helm.
Merson's prediction
Roy Hodgson must be pulling his hair out. Palace were decent last week at Manchester United. Their problem is the same as a lot of teams - they need a forward. They were the better team against United, but they could easily play Burnley and not be.
I'm shocked by Burnley though. I thought they'd be in the bottom half, I'd still be shocked if they went down because of that fighting spirit, but they need more. When I watched them last season, even if they lost, the other team would come off the pitch and say it was hard. I don't see that now. It was very rare they got a spanking but they conceded five, four and four in three games in a row this year.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
