Cardiff vs Crystal Palace preview: Neil Warnock's side aim to stay alive

Cardiff must beat Crystal Palace on Saturday evening (kick-off 5.30pm) to keep their Premier League survival hopes alive.

Neil Warnock's side start the penultimate weekend of the season four points behind 17th-placed Brighton, who travel to Arsenal on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

Cardiff have lost five of their last six matches and have struggled for goals, failing to score in four of their last five games.

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Palace are already safe and are second only to Manchester City in terms of points won on the road this calendar year.

Manager Roy Hodgson says he will feel some "empathy" for Cardiff if they go down.

"Whether the pressure will get to them - only the game will tell," he said.

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"I don't believe in the fact you do relegate them. I don't subscribe to that. The game that brings about the inevitable - it's not the 37th game that relegates them.

"I'm pretty certain we won't need to feel anything other than empathy - which you feel for all managers."

Team news

Cardiff midfielder Harry Arter has missed the last three games with a calf strain and seems set to miss out again.

Kenneth Zohore should be available after picking up a knock at Fulham last weekend.

Christian Benteke misses out for Palace after damaging his cheekbone in the 0-0 draw with Everton last weekend.

Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins, Jeffrey Schlupp and Pape Souare have been ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

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Opta stats

• Cardiff have failed to score in all three of their Premier League meetings with Crystal Palace, losing twice and drawing the other.
• Crystal Palace have only won one of their last nine away league games against Cardiff (D4 L4), though it was their last such match in April 2014 (3-0).
• Defeat for Cardiff will see them relegated back to the Championship. They would be the only team to play in more than one Premier League season and be relegated in 100% of them.
• Cardiff have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League games, with victories against West Ham and Brighton the only exceptions in that run.
• Since the turn of the year, only Manchester City (21) have won more away points in the Premier League than Crystal Palace (16). The Eagles have won four of their last five on the road, losing only at Spurs in that run.
• Crystal Palace have kept a clean sheet in their last four away league games against promoted sides (W3 D1), winning each of the last three by a 2-0 scoreline.
• Only Huddersfield Town (14) have lost more home league games than Cardiff this season (10).
• If Cardiff lose and are relegated it will be manager Neil Warnock's third relegation from the top-flight, with each one coming with a different club in a different decade (Notts County 1991-92, Sheffield United 2006-07).
• Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha has scored five goals in his last six away league games. Indeed, eight of his nine strikes in total this season have come on the road.

Paul Merson's prediction

Cardiff have to win this and go to Manchester United on the last day knowing they have to win, there's no point going there already down. If you're only one game away from staying up, you've got a chance. Anyone can win a one-off game.

If Palace turn up and Cardiff have a go at them, there's only one winner - but their fans wouldn't mind a Cardiff win with the Brighton connection! You don't know which Palace is going to turn up, but I think Cardiff will keep it alive.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0

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