Palace team news: Ferguson and Mac Allister available

Roberto De Zerbi’s team will look to make it five Premier League games unbeaten on Saturday as we face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, kick-off 3pm.

With three wins in our last four, we head into this weekend’s game looking to cement our place in sixth spot, as well as cut into Tottenham’s five-point lead on us in fifth. We also have two games in hand over Antonio Conte’s men.

Having scored in nine of our ten games on the road, we sit joint third in the away record table, bagging half our 34 points away from the Amex.

Our rich vein of form was continued last weekend when Kaoru Mitoma nodded in a late winner against Bournemouth.

Palace  have lost five of their last eight, securing just one win in that sequence – although five of those games have come against four teams in the top four (Manchester United (twice), Newcastle United, Chelsea and Tottenham).

Patrick Vieira has also had a number of injuries to key players to contend with. Wilfried Zaha is expected to miss Saturday’s game with a thigh injury, while defender Joachim Andersen has missed his team’s last three games (calf).

Team news

Roberto De Zerbi will have Alexis Mac Allister back available after the Argentinian served a one-match ban after picking up five yellow cards. The Italian also provided the following update on the rest of his squad.

"Colwill and Lallana can't play, we have a few more doubts. Evan Ferguson could play, but I have to choose between him, Deniz [Undav] and [Kaoru] Mitoma. Evan is more a striker and knows how to attack the space, but in the quality of play Undav is also very important.

"[Alexis] Mac Allister will play tomorrow. He is a very important player for us."

Our last meeting

Having dominated the affair in January last year, Pascal Gross was denied from the penalty spot before Neal Maupay had a goal ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Jakub Moder’s effort struck the crossbar with Conor Gallagher putting the visitors to the Amex in the lead when he fired in from close range. With three minutes to go, we grabbed a deserved point as Maupay’s low cross was turned in by Joachim Andersen.

Maupay was also on target on our last visit to Selhurst Park, scoring late on in a 1-1 draw. 

Stats

Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last six Premier League games against Brighton (W2 D4) but are winless in their last four at home against the Seagulls (D3 L1).

Brighton haven't kept a clean sheet in any of their last nine Premier League meetings with Crystal Palace, though they've also failed to score in just one of those nine games.

Each of the first eight Premier League goals scored in meetings between Crystal Palace and Brighton were netted in the first half. Since then, just four of the 16 goals scored in this fixture has been netted in the opening 45 minutes.

Crystal Palace remain winless in the Premier League in 2023 so far (D2 L3), with their last victory coming at Bournemouth on New Year's Eve. At home, the Eagles are winless since beating Southampton 1-0 in October (D2 L2 since).

Brighton have won six of their last nine Premier League games (D1 L2), with both defeats in that run coming at home. Since the competition restarted following the World Cup, only Manchester United (16, before Leeds game) and Brentford (14) have won more Premier League points than the Seagulls (13).

No side has won more Premier League games when conceding the first goal this season than Crystal Palace (4). Indeed, the Eagles have won twice the amount of games when conceding first (4/12) than they have when scoring first this term (2/6).

Only Arsenal (8) have won more Premier League away games than Brighton (5) this season, with the Seagulls only winning more on the road in a single top-flight season once before (7 last season).

32 of Brighton's 38 premier League goals this season have come from open play, with the Seagulls scoring the lowest share of their goals from set piece situations in the competition this term (16% including penalties, 8% excluding).

Against no side has Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha scored more goals in his career in English football than he has against Brighton (8). He's scored five in his last five appearances against them at Selhurst Park, netting once in each of the last three.

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma has been involved in nine goals in his last 12 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven and assisting two. He's scored in each of his last three for the Seagulls, with the last two being winning goals in the 90th and 87th minute respectively.

Match officials

Referee: Michael Oliver.

Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett.

Fourth official: Tim Robinson.

VAR: John Brooks.

Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.

Mark of respect for earthquake victims

The Premier League is deeply saddened by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, which have killed thousands of people. 

The League will make a £1 million donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Appeal to deliver humanitarian aid directly to those in need.

Also, a mark of respect to those who lost their lives, or are affected by these tragic events, players and officials will wear black armbands at this weekend’s matches.