Crystal Palace vs Burnley: Let’s Make This Weekend Exciting!

Crystal Palace starts a new era under Oliver Glasner this Saturday as they host Burnley at Selhurst Park in the Premier League. Ray Lewington managed the team to a 1-1 draw with Everton on Monday, while Burnley suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Arsenal at Turf Moor amidst rainy conditions.

Preparations for Palace's trip to Goodison Park were anything but smooth. Roy Hodgson fell ill during a training session, causing concern among the Eagles. Instead of waiting to be fired, the veteran manager decided to step down from his position.

Despite initial worries about finding a replacement, Crystal Palace managed to secure former Eintracht Frankfurt head coach Oliver Glasner. Glasner, who won the Europa League with Die Adler in 2022, wasted no time in joining Palace. He was present in the stands as the Eagles put up a strong performance against Everton on Monday.

Before stepping down from his role at Selhurst Park, Ray Lewington saw Jordan Ayew score a remarkable long-range goal, putting Palace in the lead. However, in the 84th minute, an Amadou Onana header prevented the Eagles from securing their first win of the month.

Securing a point was commendable for Crystal Palace, placing them 15th in the table with 25 points from 25 matches. They are five points ahead of Luton Town in the relegation zone. Oliver Glasner, soon to make his Premier League debut, will become only the second Austrian manager in the competition after Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Out of the 15 permanent head coaches who have led Crystal Palace in a Premier League match, only Alan Pardew managed to win his debut game, defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in January 2015. Additionally, Palace has conceded at least one goal in each of their last eight home matches in the top flight.

Crystal Palace isn't alone in struggling to keep clean sheets at home. Burnley had a tough time during their recent match against Arsenal, with their performance matching the dismal weather. Arsenal, fresh off a 6-0 win against West Ham United, delivered another strong performance, scoring five goals against Burnley.

In a clash between two of Pep Guardiola's former players, Mikel Arteta's team outplayed Vincent Kompany's side, teaching them a footballing lesson. Bukayo Saka scored twice, while Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Leandro Trossard also found the net, resulting in Burnley's heaviest Premier League home defeat of the season, with James Trafford conceding multiple goals.

Earlier in the season, Burnley also conceded five goals to Arsenal's rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. With a total of 55 goals conceded, only Sheffield United (65) have allowed more goals against them. As a result, Burnley finds themselves in 19th place in the Premier League standings, seven points behind Everton, who are in 17th place and safe from relegation for now.

Burnley has not secured a single victory in any competition since the beginning of the year. Additionally, they have conceded three goals in each of their last three Premier League away losses, although these were against tough opponents like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Aston Villa. Historically, trips to the capital have not been favorable for Burnley.

Burnley's struggles in London continue, as they haven't won any of their last 22 games in the capital when conceding at least one goal. In the reverse fixture at Turf Moor in November, Crystal Palace emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, breaking a five-game winless streak against Burnley dating back to before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Team News: Crystal Palace vs Burnley

Glasner observed Crystal Palace deploying a 3-4-2-1 formation against Everton, which seems to be their preferred setup going forward, especially with seven players unavailable for the match. Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are still recovering from thigh injuries, while Marc Guehi has a knee issue, although they might still be available. Will Hughes could return if his foot problem improves, but Cheick Doucoure, Rob Holding, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi are definitely out.

Burnley suffered a heavy defeat to Arsenal, marred by Aaron Ramsay's severe knee injury, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Other absentees for Burnley include Luca Koleosho, Lyle Foster, and Nathan Redmond. Jordan Beyer is also likely to miss out due to a thigh injury.

With Ramsay out, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Jacob Bruun Larsen, and Mike Tresor could return to Burnley's squad. Vincent Kompany might consider changes in the lineup, possibly including Vitinho or Charlie Taylor in the defense.

Potential Crystal Palace lineup:

Johnstone; Ward, Richards, Andersen; Munoz, Wharton, Lerma, Mitchell; Ayew, Edouard; Mateta

Potential Burnley lineup:

Trafford; Assignon, O'Shea, Esteve, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni, Fofana