Crystal Palace are soaring under manager Oliver Glasner and head into the final day of the Premier League season with a chance to finish the campaign inside the top half of the table.
Selhurst Park will be buzzing on Sunday afternoon as the Eagles host Champions League-bound Aston Villa, eager to continue their rich vein of form.
Palace’s impressive form continued last weekend with a convincing 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, marking their fifth win in six games.
Their troublesome trio of Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Eberechi Eze were all on the score sheet to help Palace collect 16 points from their last six games.
The Eagles have become a force to be reckoned with, and while an 11th-place finish might not grab headlines, the turnaround under Glasner’s leadership has been remarkable.
The exciting brand of football displayed by Palace has captivated fans, and a strong finish could see them disrupt the race for the top spots next season.
Mateta has been instrumental in Palace’s success. He has bagged five goals in the last three home games, proving himself a menace against top opposition and establishing himself as a fan favourite.
A win against Villa could be enough for Palace to climb into the top half of the table, assuming other results go their way.
Regardless of their finish, fans can expect the Eagles to potentially upset the apple cart next term, especially if they keep their key players, who are unsurprisingly attracting plenty of interest.
This weekend’s clash promises to be a fascinating encounter, and Palace will head into the game as slight favourites.
Crystal Palace tickets are available for purchase at seatsnet.com for those looking to witness the game firsthand, although we expect them to become a hot commodity from next season if Palace continue their current trajectory.
Just 24 hours after a pulsating six-goal draw with Liverpool, Villa players were celebrating in style.
While enjoying their annual awards gala, they witnessed Manchester City secure a crucial 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, which officially sealed Villa’s place in next season’s Champions League.
Villa’s return to Europe’s elite stage marks a tremendous turnaround for the club, although it was always on the cards, given Unai Emery’s proven European pedigree.
The Spanish tactician has orchestrated a feat that seemed impossible just a couple of years ago under the tumultuous reign of Steven Gerrard when relegation was a genuine threat for the Villans.
However, amidst the euphoria of Champions League qualification, a note of caution should be sounded.
Villa have experienced a recent dip in form, currently enduring a five-game winless run across all competitions (D2, L3), including a disappointing exit from the Europa Conference League.
Their current wobble marks their longest winless run this season. But despite the stutter, Villa’s fourth-place spot in the Premier League table remains secure, which is a testament to their overall consistency.
They sit 11 points behind Liverpool in third and hold a comfortable five-point cushion over Spurs in fifth, who could still be pipped by London rivals Chelsea for a spot in the Europa League.
Individually, striker Ollie Watkins deserves immense credit. He has enjoyed the most prolific spell of his Premier League career, bagging an impressive 19 goals in 36 league games.
His red-hot form makes a strong case for a coveted back-up spot behind Harry Kane in the England squad for this summer’s European Championships.
Match Preview
Palace were floundering in the first half of the season, and Roy Hodgson’s departure was necessary, a desperate bid to arrest a worrying downward spiral.
Glasner’s arrival came with plenty of promise, given his exploits at Eintracht Frankfurt, but few could have predicted the incredible impact he’d have in such a short time at Selhurst Park.
Glasner’s start to life in south London was rough. A solitary 3-0 victory against Burnley in his first six matches hardly inspired confidence.
But there were glimpses of promise, and a couple of those defeats came against Tottenham and Man City.
However, the 4-2 defeat to Man City marked a turning point. Palace haven’t lost a game since, embarking on an impressive six-game unbeaten streak (W5, D1).
Fulham are the only team to snatch points from the Eagles during their dominant run of form, with Palace beating Liverpool at Anfield and thrashing Manchester United 4-0 at Selhurst Park.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United, and West Ham United all fell victim to Glasner’s revitalised Eagles during that run, so, unsurprisingly, they head into Sunday’s contest as slight favourites.
Glasner has injected Palace with a vivacity unseen under the pragmatic Hodgson, and their form is a testament to that resurgence.
Their record of five wins and a draw from their last six games is only eclipsed by the reigning champions, Man City.
Glasner’s tactical switch-up has been a masterstroke. He has liberated the players, granting them an attacking freedom that has become a handful for the opposition.
Now, the Eagles have their sights set on a victorious season finale in front of their home crowd and a potential top-half finish for the first time in nearly a decade.
Emery’s Villa have already secured their golden ticket to the Champions League, but the party atmosphere won’t stop them from chasing a winning finale to the season.
Their spot in Europe’s elite tournament was confirmed after Tottenham’s defeat to Man City on Tuesday, putting Villa a comfortable five points ahead of the north Londoners.
However, Emery’s men haven’t quite hit their winning stride lately. They’ve drawn two and lost one of their last three outings, with their most recent encounter a pulsating 3-3 draw against Liverpool at Villa Park.
That match almost turned sour before Jhon Duran’s dramatic late double rescued a point for Villa, effectively slamming the door shut on Tottenham’s Champions League hopes.
While a celebratory mood is guaranteed heading into the final game of the season, Emery will be determined to end the season on a high.
Team news & potential line-ups
Palace will be without Naouirou Ahamada as he serves a match suspension. Will Hughes is also unavailable for Sunday’s game after being on the receiving end of a nasty tackle in the win against Wolves.
He’s likely to be replaced by Jefferson Lerma, who returns to the fold just in time to bolster Glasner’s options in the middle of the park.
Villa’s only real concern heading into the final game of the season is Nicolo Zaniolo, who is set to be sidelined until August due to a foot injury.
Crystal Palace potential starting line-up:
(3-4-3): Dean Henderson; Nathaniel Clyne, Joachim Andersen, Chris Richards; Daniel Munoz, Jefferson Lerma, Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell; Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Aston Villa potential starting line-up:
(4-4-2): Emiliano Martinez; Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne; Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn; Moussa Diaby, Ollie Watkins.
