Eagles boss must shuffle his pack as Southampton visit Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Alan Pardew will look to bring to an end a miserable run of Premier League form for Crystal Palace, as Southampton travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.
Following a sixth successive league defeat, The Eagles’ boss is left clinging to his job, with The Telegraph reporting earlier in the week that both he and Chairman Steve Parish held crisis talks at the club.
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew at the end of the match
Their latest defeat came during an extraordinary nine-goal thriller versus Swansea City last weekend. After leading 4-3 with six minutes to play, two stoppage time goals from The Swans could yet be the final nail in Pardew’s coffin.
The visit of Claude Puel’s men comes off the back of their surprise 2-0 defeat of Arsenal in their EFL Cup quarter-final on Wednesday evening.
As The Saints begin to show signs of another customary disciplined run, the sight of Virgil van Dijk and co. is not one for Pardew to relish.
Southampton’s Charlie Austin celebrates scoring their first goal
Especially in the light of their most recent results against the South coast club. On the final day of last season, Southampton thumped the visitors 4-1, whilst in the League Cup Third Round in September, goals from Charlie Austin and Jake Hesketh disposed of their opponents.
A crumb of comfort for Crystal Palace will be the memory of defeating the Saints 1-0 – then under Ronald Koeman – almost twelve months ago in South London.
Claude Puel’s men have also won just once on the road this term, versus West Ham United, losing their last away day 2-1 versus Hull City at the KC Stadium.
Crystal Palace’s Connor Wickham in action with Swansea City’s Leroy Fer
Alan Pardew has been dealt a double blow with the news striker Connor Wickham has been ruled out for the season with knee ligament damage, having scored in the last two games prior to the clash in South Wales.
The Palace boss must decide who to partner Christian Benteke with, in what could be his last game in a managerial role for the club.
Pardew will be unable to call on Loic Remy as of yet, who is still a week away after a calf strain. Steve Mandanda however should return in goal to aid the Eagles following a knee injury.
Both Jordan Benteke and Pape Souare are long-term absentees.
Here is how Crystal Palace could line up:
For Southampton, winger Dusan Tadic is expected to miss the trip to Selhurst Park with a issues continuing from a broken nose sustained against Wales during the international break. Full-back Matt Targett is also a major doubt with a hamstring strain.
Here is how Southampton could line up:
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