Crystal Palace vs Leeds United preview, team news, kick-off
Luka Milivojevic heads list of Palace absentees; Leeds to check on Raphinha; follow Crystal Palace vs Leeds in our dedicated live blog with highlights published shortly after the final whistle
Friday 6 November 2020 16:35, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Crystal Palace vs Leeds United in the Premier League on Friday; kick-off 3pm.
Team news
Crystal Palace are without seven players for the visit of Leeds in the Premier League, with captain Luka Milivojevic among them as he serves the first of a three-match ban following his red card at Wolves last week.
The Serbia midfielder joins long-term absentees Wayne Hennessey (thigh), Nathan Ferguson (knee) and Connor Wickham (thigh) on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Palace are also without Joel Ward (groin), Tyrick Mitchell (knock) and James Tomkins (hamstring), but the defenders are not expected to be out for long.
Leeds will check on the fitness of winger Raphinha before travelling down to London.
The deadline-day signing from Rennes missed the home defeat to Leicester on Monday with an ankle injury, after impressing in cameo appearances from the bench against both Aston Villa and Wolves.
Defender Diego Llorente (groin) and midfielder Kalvin Phillips (shoulder) remain out injured while forward Rodrigo will miss a second match as he continues to self-isolate following his positive Covid-19 test.
How to follow
Follow Crystal Palace vs Leeds United in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel an hour after the final whistle.
Jones Knows' prediction
Only Liverpool have created more chances from open play than Leeds this season and no team has clocked up as many in-game miles than Marcelo Bielsa's team. This 'move and fire' style of football is winning the hearts of the neutrals but if ever a team is primed to suck the fun out of a football match, it is Crystal Palace and Roy Hodgson.
That will be their key task for this encounter; stop Leeds from being Leeds.
This game is all about the first goal. If Leeds get it, then it could be an embarrassing defeat for Palace. But, Hodgson's boys are the masters at defending a lead. I will side with them, tentatively.
JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 1-0 (8/1 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last four home league games against Leeds (W2 D2), with this the first such meeting since a 2-2 draw in the Championship in March 2013.
- Leeds have won three of their last four Premier League meetings with Crystal Palace (L1), with this their first such game since a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park in January 1998.
- Leeds United have won just one of their last 20 away league games against London sides (D6 L13), beating QPR 3-1 in December 2017.
- Crystal Palace have lost two of their last three Premier League meetings with promoted sides (W1), as many as they had in their previous 14 such games in the competition (W8 D4 L2).
- 49% of Crystal Palace's all-time Premier League defeats have come at home, the highest such ratio in the competition (99/201). Their next home defeat will be their 100th in the Premier League, making them the eighth different team to reach this figure.
- Leeds are looking to win three consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since August 2002, while they last won three in a row on the road without conceding in the top-flight in August 1970.
- Crystal Palace have had fewer shots than any other side in the Premier League this season (57), while only Liverpool have had more than Leeds (96). However, Crystal Palace have scored with 14% of their efforts so far, their best shot conversion rate in a Premier League season on record (since 1997-98).
- Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has lost all three of his Premier League games against Leeds, his worst 100% losing record against a side in the competition. His only previous home game against them ended in a 3-4 defeat with Blackburn in September 1997, with all seven goals being scored in the opening 33 minutes.
- Wilfried Zaha's five Premier League goals this season have been worth seven points to Crystal Palace - no other players' strikes has been more valuable to their team so far this term.
- Patrick Bamford has scored five goals in his three away appearances for Leeds in the Premier League this season, netting in each game on the road. The last Leeds player to score in four consecutive top-flight away games was Mark Viduka in August 2002.
Pitch to Post Preview Podcast: Jamie Carragher on Man City v Liverpool; Steve Bruce on Callum Wilson; Chelsea's title chances assessed
Jamie Carragher and Steve Bruce are among the guests on this week's Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.
Sky Sports pundit Carragher joins Peter Smith and Adam Bate to look ahead to the big Super Sunday clash between Man City and Liverpool, while Steve Bruce is on the line to discuss Newcastle's Friday Night Football trip to Southampton and the form of star striker Callum Wilson.
Also on the show we analyse how Chelsea have turned around their defensive problems, how Leicester have coped with injury problems, and Adam makes a bold Pitch.
Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox
