Crystal Palace remains an enigma of sorts this season under iconic former Arsenal and France midfielder Patrick Vieira. On their day, the Eagles are quite capable given the ability in the squad at current, but when it goes wrong, it truly does fall off the rails. And perhaps their 3-0 Boxing Day defeat at home against Fulham sums that up as best-possible. Not just in defeat, but the two red cards to key figures in the team that is now set to miss part of a crucial period in the Premier League season.
Up next for the Eagles is a more comfortable – on paper – clash with Bournemouth on the south coast tomorrow night, and a string of fitness concerns for Gary O’Neil might offer Vieira’s men a chance to get back to winning ways and resume their pre-World Cup form that saw them win three of their last five going into the extended international break.
Predicted Crystal Palace XI
Crystal Palace Team News
- Nathan Ferguson, James McArthur, and Sam Johnstone (out)
- Tyrick Mitchell, and James Tompkins (red card suspensions)
Patrick Vieira is presented with interesting if not frustrating selection headaches ahead of Crystal Palace’s trip to Bournemouth tomorrow on the back of their 3-0 loss to Fulham at Selhurst Park that saw the Eagles receive two red cards in the process. As such, both Tyrick Mitchell and James Tompkins will not be available for selection here, with Mitchell’s absence a particular blow to the XI.
Other than that, Nathan Ferguson, James McArthur, and Sam Johnstone persist on the treatment table but Vieira is at least able to welcome back key center-back Marc Guéhi who completed his own match suspension and will undoubtedly be pressed back into service immediately.
