Crystal Palace v Liverpool Preview – Sunday 1:30pm
One of the most dramatic fixtures of last season, the last time these two sides met saw Liverpool all but end their title aspirations as Crystal Palace came from three goals down to end the game 3-3.
Since then, both sides have experienced a dip in form with Liverpool sitting in 11th and Crystal Palace just out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
Much has been made of Liverpool missing the talismanic Luis Suarez this season, and of the form of replacement Mario Balotelli. As it stands, Balotelli has had the fourth highest shots at goal this season with 25, yet is yet to score in the Barclays Premier League, an almost inexplicable run of bad luck. However, the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index has shown in the past that where players are getting the shots in the goals will soon start flowing. Balotelli is 7/4 with 888sport.com to score.
Dejan Lovren has come under criticism from some Liverpool fans this season, but the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that he has won the third highest number of clearances in the Barclays Premier League this season with 112.
One player who is only improving his reputation for Liverpool this season is Jordan Henderson. Under the tutelage of captain Steven Gerrard, Henderson has turned into a combative midfielder, currently ranked tenth in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for tackles won with 33, 80.5% of all his tackles attempted and 12th for passes completed in the opposition half with 301.
The ever young Gerrard is, however, still outrunning Henderson. Gerrard has covered 73.65 miles this season compared to Henderson’s 71.12 miles, and averaged 6.7 miles per game compared to Henderson’s 6.47 mile
Crystal Palace missed captain Mile Jedinak against Manchester United in their last league outing, and will welcome back the tough midfielder to compete against Gerrard and Henderson in the middle of the park. Jedinak is now ranked second for tackles won in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, having been over taken by Nathaniel Clyne while serving his one match suspension. Palace fans need not dismay, however, as the Eagles captain is still perched at the top of the rankings for most interceptions this season.
Crystal Palace fans will be excited to see how winger Yannick Bolasie stacks up against Liverpool’s full backs. Bolasie has attempted the third highest number of dribbles this season with 64, although just twenty of those have been successful. In comparison, former Palace player Victor Moses has attempted the same number but with 36 successful. Bolasie would do well to pick his battles against a Liverpool side who are dangerous on the counter attack.
Bolasie has also attempted 44 crosses this season, the sixth highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, with just four successful and two assists. An exciting and skillful player, undoubtedly, but Bolasie will need to use the ball better if Palace are to recreate ‘Crystanbul’ at Selhurst Park. It is a whopping 65/1 with 888sport.com to see a repeat of that classic 3-3 scoreline.
Crystal Palace:
Form (EPL): WLLDLL
Possible lineup: Speroni; Mariappa, Delaney, Dann, Ward; Puncheon, Ledley, Jedinak, Bolasie; Chamakh, Campbell
Liverpool:
Form (EPL) : DWWDLL
Possible lineup : Mignolet; Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno; Gerrard, Can, Henderson; Coutinho, Sterling; Lambert
Prediction
Crystal Palace 1 – Liverpool 1
Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate team.