Crystal Palace vs Swansea City. Premier League.
Selhurst ParkAttendance24,913.
Tuesday 3 January 2017 18:45, UK
Crystal Palace will be able to call on Wilfried Zaha one last time before he heads to the Africa Cup of Nations when Swansea travel to Selhurst Park on Tuesday.
Palace have received special dispensation to field Ivory Coast international Zaha in a crunch clash with their fellow Premier League strugglers, who will be watched by Paul Clement after he agreed a two-and-a-half -year deal on Monday to replace Bob Bradley at the helm.
Eagles boss Sam Allardyce - who saw his team beaten at Arsenal on Sunday - has complained that Swansea have had an additional day's preparation for this fixture but is in no doubt as to the significance of the showdown with his side languishing in 17th place.
"Our big game's on Tuesday, there's no doubt about it," Allardyce said. "We're going to survive by beating teams in the bottom half.
"If we get a victory against one of the top boys that'll be the added bonus to get us safe quicker but our players need to get ready for Swansea."
Christian Benteke, Andros Townsend and Yohan Cabaye were all substituted at the Emirates with this game in mind but are expected to retain their place from the off.
Allardyce also has Damien Delaney available again after suspension.
Swansea caretaker Alan Curtis is expected to consider changes after a fourth straight defeat against Bournemouth on New Year's Eve but will be forced into at least one with defender Jordi Amat suspended.
Wayne Routledge will be checked after missing out on Saturday with a mouth abscess, while striker Fernando Llorente is doubtful after picking up a knock against the Cherries.
There were as many goals in the last Premier League fixture between these sides (9) as there had been in the previous six combined.
In that match, Swansea became only the fourth team to turn defeat into victory with two 90th minute strikes in a Premier League match (Man City v QPR 2011-12, Everton v Tottenham 2012-13 and Watford v Aston Villa 2015-16).
The Swans have kept four clean sheets their last five away league games against the Eagles, conceding just once in the other match (W3 D1 L1).
Four of the seven previous Premier League meetings between these sides have ended in a draw, with Crystal Palace winning once (L2).
The Eagles have lost five of their last six Premier League fixtures at Selhurst Park, winning against Southampton. However, their last three PL wins at home have come against sides beginning with the letter S (Stoke x2 and Southampton).
Swansea have lost seven of their last eight away games in the top flight (D1), conceding an average of 2.6 goals per game.
Swansea have kept just one clean sheet in their last 10 Premier League games and have conceded 3+ goals in eight of these matches.
Sam Allardyce lost his first Premier League meeting against Swansea City (Swansea 3-0 West Ham in August 2012), but is unbeaten in his six meetings with them since in the competition (W4 D2).
Swansea have lost their last four league games - they haven't lost five in a row in the top flight before.
Christian Benteke has only scored in one of his eight Premier League appearances for Palace at Selhurst Park (two goals).
Swansea have been losing game after game and, for me, they are not going to stay up. They would have looked at the Bournemouth game as a must-win match and they got rinsed. Paul Clement is a good man and a good coach, but that appointment suggests to me that they are looking at the bigger picture. If they get relegated and need to bring some kids through then they need a good coach like him.
If they wanted to spend six months fighting to stay up then go and get Harry Redknapp. They must be half writing off this season, I reckon. This is Sam Allardyce's first home game in charge and I think Palace are a certainty.
Crystal Palace are odds-on favourites at 3/4 with Sky Bet ahead of their Tuesday night clash with Swansea, who are the 18/5 outsiders. The struggling Swans can be backed at even money to avoid defeat in the double chance market, while it's 4/1 for the Eagles to prevail by exactly two goals.
Home marksman Christian Benteke is 7/2 favourite to score first, while Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente are 15/2 apiece in the same market.
