Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games when season resumes; 25 matches available on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel
Friday 3 July 2020 18:35, UK
The Premier League is back - but what shape are Crystal Palace in? Fixtures, injury latest, the manager's view and more...
Ahead of the top flight's big return on June 17, we run the rule over Roy Hodgson's side, from fixtures and fitness to the manager's view and more...
Sky Sports' Charlotte Marsh:
It hasn't always been the easiest of seasons for Crystal Palace. At times, they have been severely depleted due to injuries - particularly in defence - which was compounded by only one win in 11 Premier League games between December and February.
However, things began to look up before the football suspension, winning their last three league matches 1-0. At the time, it pulled them away from a potential relegation scrap and with two home wins against Newcastle and Watford, plus an away victory at bitter rivals Brighton, the all-important momentum was with them.
Now, they face one of the toughest run-ins of any Premier League side. Seven of their nine opponents are currently above them in the table - including games against Liverpool, Leicester, Chelsea and Manchester United - and there is always the danger of slipping back into an unwanted relegation battle.
But Crystal Palace are always the team looking to interrupt the status quo. They have beaten Manchester United and taken a point against Manchester City already this season, and how can you forget the history of their 3-3 draw against Liverpool during their 2013/14 Premier League title push?
Roy Hodgson has steered them to relatively comfortable mid-table finishes in his last two seasons and it's hard to envisage anything other than the same again, hopefully with a few exciting moments along the way.
Crystal Palace have a pretty tricky run of fixtures in their last nine games, with Sky Sports analysis concluding they have the joint-hardest run-in along with Bournemouth, where they start away from home before travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool, who are close to winning their first Premier League title.
Their game against Burnley - who are currently a place ahead of them on goal difference - could be huge in deciding a top-half-of-the-table finish. This is followed by two more top four sides - Leicester and Chelsea - before facing relegation-threatened Aston Villa.
Crystal Palace's final three games will all be against sides vying for a European spot. They play Manchester United at home - who they beat for the first time in 23 league games in spectacular fashion back in August - before a trip to Molineux to face Wolves. They end the season with a home game against Tottenham.
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Kick-Off: 7.45pm
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
Kick-Off: 8.15pm; Live on Sky Sports
Crystal Palace vs Burnley
Kick-Off: 8pm
Leicester vs Crystal Palace
Kick-Off: 3pm; Live on Sky Sports and Sky Pick
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea
Kick-Off: 6pm; Live on Sky Sports
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace
Kick-Off: 2pm; Live on Sky Sports
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United
Wolves vs Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
As it stands, Crystal Palace are in 11th place with Burnley just sneaking into the top 10 on goal difference and joint on 39 points.
A drop deep into the lower half of the table seems unlikely - they are 12 points ahead of the teams hovering in and around the relegation places - and an eye upwards is the more likely scenario. Crystal Palace are just four points of sixth place and six points from fifth, with both offering the chance of European football next season.
However, modelling by Experimental361 indicates that Crystal Palace are most likely to finish between ninth and 13th, which would remain consistent with their final league positions in the Premier League since their return in the 2013/14 season.
As mentioned above, Crystal Palace do have a tricky run-in for the final nine games of the season, but are known for their ability to spring a surprises so don't write them off once the campaign resumes.
None here. Crystal Palace were knocked out of both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup in their first games of each competition this season, losing to Colchester on penalties and 1-0 to Derby respectively.
Crystal Palace have had some bad luck with injuries this season, but the suspension means most players are ready to return to action.
They did lose Cenk Tosun, a January loan arrival from Everton, at the start of March after he ruptured his ACL with the striker now back with his parent club for rehabilitation.
Crystal Palace were finally starting to find some results after a worrying spell. After beating West Ham 2-1 on Boxing Day, Hodgson's side drew their next four Premier League games followed by three defeats, scoring just six goals in those seven games.
But in the final three games before football was suspended, they won each 1-0 against Newcastle, Brighton and Watford - their first run of three successive victories this season.
Hodgson signed a one-year contract extension in March which will see him remain at the club until the end of the 2020/21 campaign.
The 72-year-old has guided the Eagles to 11th and 12th-placed finishes in the last two seasons but the boss isn't looking too far into the future, instead concentrating on and getting satisfaction out of still being able to manage at the top level.
"Ambitions are dangerous things to talk about," he said on The Football Show in April.
"I'm always aware of giving cliched answers but I've fulfilled an enormous amount of my ambitions so I'm fortunate. My dream these days is about doing the job to the level I want to do it at and this extension gives me the opportunity to do that.
"I've been very pleased with this season, in fact I've been very pleased with all three seasons. I've got a very good group of players - a very experienced group of players. They definitely know what they are good at and know what they need to be good at to win matches and keep the club in the league, which is always our major consideration."
In the nine games they have left, Crystal Palace have to play six of the top eight. Their games include away trips to Liverpool, Leicester and Wolves, with home ties to Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham. They have had periods like this already this season in which they played Man City, Arsenal, Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool, taking just one point from that. If they do this again, they could be in trouble, making the odds of 750/1 look way too long.
Crystal Palace to be relegated - 750/1 with Sky Bet
Sky Sports will show 64 live Premier League games when the season resumes. In addition to the 39 matches already scheduled to be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports before the coronavirus interruption, 25 more matches will be available on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel, allowing the whole nation to be part of the return of live sport.
Free-to-watch highlights of every remaining Premier League game this season will be available from shortly after the full-time whistle on the Sky Sports website, Sky Sports app and Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.
