Wolves face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park as they look to stretch their unbeaten run to six games in the Premier League. Wolves could go as high as fourth place if results go their way this weekend. They currently sit in ninth place in the league, picking up 12 points from the seven games played this season.
Wolves Face Trip to Crystal Palace
Wolves
Wolves will be looking to stretch their unbeaten run to six games, with wins coming against West Ham, Burnley and Southampton, all with clean sheets, and picking up impressive 1-1 draws against both Manchester teams. Last time out, Wolves picked up a 2-0 win against Southampton, with late goals coming from Premier League debutant Ivan Cavaleiro, who scored with his first touch, and defender Jonny Castro Otto. Fans will be setting expectations high this month with all three games looking winnable.
Crystal Palace
It’s been a mixed season so far for Crystal Palace, currently sitting in 13th place on seven points with only two wins and one draw. Last time out Palace, were denied a draw away at Bournemouth through a late goal. The fans will be hoping that the Palace players recover enough in the four days leading up to the game against an energetic Wolves side.
Three Key Battles
Mamadou Sakho v Raul Jimenez
It will be up to Mamadou Sakho to stop Wolves’ top scorer Raul Jimenez, who’s scored twice this season. Sakho will need to use his size and his physicality if he has any chance to keep Jimenez out the game who has two assists to his name. Sakho has helped Palace keep three clean sheets so far this season.
Luka Milivojevic v Ruben Neves
Both of these players have been key to their teams, sitting in centre midfield and breaking up opposition play. These two players have averaged more passes for their teams than anyone else. Luka Milivojevic is averaging 55.3 passes per game whilst Ruben Neves is averaging 63.9. Milivojevic, who scored ten goals last season, hasn’t got off the mark yet, whilst Neves has scored and assisted once this season.
Wilfried Zaha v Matt Doherty
Wilfried Zaha is Crystal Palace’s top scorer so far this season, finding the net three times. His best scoring season came last season when he scored nine times in 30 appearances. If Zaha can continue his good form, this could be his best scoring season yet. Zaha comes up against in-form Matt Doherty, who won Man of the Match last time out against Southampton. Doherty has helped Wolves to three clean sheets whilst also showing his attacking prowess by bagging two assists for his side.
Did You Know?
Last time these two sides met was in the 2012/2013 Championship season when Wolves lost both games that season – 2-1 at Molineux and 3-1 at Selhurst Park.
This will be the first Premier League meeting between Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers and their first top-flight match since January 1981.
Wolves are more dangerous after the break, scoring a league-high 88% of their Premier League goals in the second half of matches this season (seven goals out of eight).
Crystal Palace have yet to score at home this term, despite attempting 44 shots, the same as Arsenal who have seven goals.
Team News
With no injury concerns, the only headache Nuno has is whether to keep the starting 11 for the eighth game in a row or make a change or two. With Cavaleiro making his Premier League debut last time out and bagging his first goal, he could be in with a shout but Nuno might not want to rush him back too soon after recovering from a back injury. Also an option is record-signing Adama Traore, who has got a good amount of minutes under his belt and has made an instant impact when coming off the bench in the last six games.
Predicted Line-ups
Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, McArthur, Meyer, Townsend, Ayew, Zaha.
Wolves (3-4-3): Patricio, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny, Costa, Jimenez, Jota.
Prediction
It will be a tough game for Crystal Palace with Wolves looking solid defensively and Palace struggling at the back. Wilfried Zaha will be key to Palace if they are to get anything out of the game.
Crystal Palace 0-2 Wolves
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