Crystal Palace host Middlesbrough on Saturday in what could turn out to be a pivotal game in the battle to avoid the drop in the Premier League.
Despite spending £40million in January, Palace's form has yet to improve under Sam Allardyce. They've won just one of their last 11 Premier League games and just two of their last 19. It's a run that has left them 19th in the league and they are only above Sunderland, who beat them 4-0 in their last home game, on goal difference.
Allardyce has not won any of his last nine Premier League games as manager against Middlesbrough, losing six.
However, winning games has been tough for Aitor Karanka's men this term - they've won just four of their 25 matches and scored just three goals in their last eight Premier League matches.
Team news
Allardyce is expecting to still be without captain Scott Dann (hamstring) for Saturday's clash, with Bakary Sako also in a similar position, although Jeffrey Schlupp is back having overcome his own hamstring complaint.
Both Mathieu Flamini and Loic Remy are also sidelined following unspecified knocks.
Middlesbrough have concerns over three full-backs ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park. Antonio Barragan (hamstring) is not expected to feature while Calum Chambers (stress fracture) and George Friend (calf) are also doubtful having not trained with the group this week.
Gaston Ramirez will be hoping to return to the starting XI for the first time since early January and Adlene Guedioura could start for the first time, against his former club.
Match stats
The Eagles won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in September - they've not done a league double over Middlesbrough since the first ever Premier League campaign in 1992-93.
Middlesbrough won their last Premier League game at Selhurst Park; 1-0 in April 2005 thanks to a Franck Queudrue goal.
None of the last 15 league meetings between these sides at Selhurst Park have ended in a draw, with Crystal Palace winning 10 of these.
Wilfried Zaha has been involved in four goals in his last two league games against Middlesbrough (one goal, three assists).
Sam Allardyce has won just one of his first eight league games as Crystal Palace manager, his worst start at a club since Notts County when he didn't win any of his first 15.
Allardyce hasn't won any of his last nine Premier League games against Middlesbrough as a manager (W0 D6 L3), last beating them in September 2003 as Bolton boss.
Middlesbrough are on the current longest winless run in the Premier League, failing to win any of their last eight games (W0 D4 L4).
Crystal Palace have failed to score in four of their last five Premier League games, the exception being the 2-0 win over Bournemouth at the end of January.
Despite scoring the same number of Premier League goals this season for Palace as he did for Liverpool last season (9), Christian Benteke has failed to score in nine of his last 10 league games for the club.
Middlesbrough have conceded just 13 times on the road this season in the Premier League in 12 games (1.1 goals per game). Only Chelsea (11) and Manchester United have conceded fewer away goals.
Just 24% of Middlesbrough's passes this season have been made in the attacking third of the pitch; the lowest proportion in the Premier League.
Merson's prediction
This is like the cup final, surely it has to be one of the biggest games of the weekend? It is a massive football match for Crystal Palace, they have to win it. I don't see them going down, but if they lost this game, I'd have to start fancying them to get relegated.
Middlesbrough don't score a lot of goals but they don't let in a lot of goals either. It's going to be a very, very tight game.
MERSON PREDICTS: 1-0 (4/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Palace are Sky Bet's 21/10 favourites to secure all three points, with Middlesbrough 29/10, while the draw is priced at 11/5. Sky Bet's odds suggest this a pivotal game in the relegation battle, with Sam Allardyce's men 8/11 to go down, while Boro are fourth in the market at 5/4. Christian Benteke heads the first goalscorer betting at 4/1, followed by 13/2 shot Alvaro Negredo.
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