Crystal Palace vs Southampton: Preview, predictions and lineups

Crystal Palace round off their 2024 on Sunday afternoon by welcoming a potentially rejuvenated Southampton to Selhurst Park.

It's been a dire campaign for the Saints thus far, but new manager Ivan Juric has offered a glimmer of hope. Juric oversaw a 1-0 defeat to West Ham on his managerial bow, but there was plenty to admire about the Saints' performance and they'd ought to have claimed at least a point.

“From watching the Fulham game and today, I think our team can compete," the new boss said post-match on Thursday.

A drift towards pragmatism will doubtlessly aid the Premier League's bottom dwellers, who have accumulated a meagre six points this term.

Palace had started the season in the trenches with Southampton, but Oliver Glasner has stumbled upon stability over the past couple of months. The Eagles are perhaps not the high-flying unit we saw earlier this year, but they appear well-balanced once more and capable of making a push towards mid-table.

After losing twice to Arsenal last week, they would've been more than content with a point at the in-form Bournemouth on Boxing Day.

Here is 90min's guide to Sunday's Premier League clash.

Crystal Palace vs Southampton H2H Record (Last Five Games)

Current form (all competitions)

How to watch Crystal Palace vs Southampton on TV - UK and US

Guehi is suspended / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages

The Eagles will be without skipper Marc Guehi after he picked up his fifth booking of the Premier League season at Bournemouth. Chris Richards will likely come into Glasner's back three as a result.

Eberechi Eze returned from a minor foot injury to feature on Thursday and he should be in the XI again this weekend. However, Palace are still without midfielder Adam Wharton, summer arrival Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca.

Cheick Doucoure could come into the Palace midfield and replace the impressive Will Hughes, who has played a lot of football over the past few weeks.

Crystal Palace predicted lineup vs Southampton

Crystal Palace predicted lineup vs Southampton (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Chalobah, Lacroix, Richards; Munoz, Lerma, Doucoure, Mitchell; Eze, Sarr; Mateta.

Ivan Juric oversaw his first Premier League game on Boxing Day / Dan Istitene/GettyImages

As expected, there was no major systematic overhaul from Juric on his managerial bow, with the former Serie A boss retaining a back three.

That will be the case again on Sunday and there are unlikely to be major personnel changes.

Paul Onuachu was a nuisance against the Hammers without getting on the scoresheet and deserves to retain his place. There could also be a recall to the XI for young Tyler Dibling after he appeared off the bench on Boxing Day, with the teenager potentially coming in for Mateus Fernandes behind the two strikers.

Gavin Bazunu, Juan Larios, Ross Stewart and Will Smallbone are all sidelined.

Southampton predicted lineup vs West Ham

Southampton predicted lineup vs Crystal Palace (3-4-1-2): Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Bednarek; Sugawara, Downes, Ugochukwu, Walker-Peters; Dibling; Archer, Onuachu.

We shouldn't expect thrills and spills on south London on Sunday. There's scope for these two sides to cancel each other out.

Southampton are going to be a much trickier test for opponents with the wily Juric at the helm, but they will struggle for goals, so the hosts may have to huff and puff their way through Sunday's bout. Their defence - performances against Arsenal notwithstanding - has improved immeasurably over the past six weeks and they should be able to shut their profligate visitors out.

Perhaps one moment of magic from Palace's dynamic front three will tilt the contest in their favour.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-0 Southampton

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