Match Pack: Saints vs Crystal Palace

THE MATCH

Saints vs Crystal Palace
Premier League
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 15th April, 3pm BST

THE OFFICIALS

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Keith Stroud
VAR: David Coote
Assistant VAR: Simon Long

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Sandwiched between games against title-chasers Man City and Arsenal, Saints will target the clash with Palace at St Mary’s as a must-win encounter.

Four points adrift at the bottom, victory against Roy Hodgson’s side could move the hosts to within a point of safety depending on results elsewhere, ending a run of five games without a win in the process.

On the flip side, the Eagles will feel a win on the south coast would go a long way to securing their Premier League status for next season, currently sitting in 12th on 33 points after back-to-back wins over Leeds and Leicester.

Hodgson has had an immediate impact in his second spell at Selhurst Park, with Rubén Sellés's side looking to inflict a first defeat in his second tenure.

TEAM NEWS

Rubén Sellés is still unable to call upon Ché Adams, Mohammed Salisu and Juan Larios. Tino Livramento will play for the B team on Friday night as he edges closer to a return, while Mislav Oršić will miss the weekend's action with a hip injury. 

The visitors are still likely to be without captain Wilfried Zaha or first choice goalkeeper Vicente Guaita. Former Saint Nathaniel Clyne is also ruled out, while Chris Richards and Odsonne Edouard have been passed fit to feature.

THE MANAGERSRubén Sellés: "It’s a cliché of course, but every game is must win. But we need to put everything tomorrow to get three points, put in a good performance, to be strong tomorrow and then get the three points tomorrow and that will help us a lot in this situation."

Roy Hodgson: "Must-win games can bite you. What we can say, quite certainly, is that it’s going to make for a good scenario. It could produce a very interesting and good game of football."

ONES TO WATCHJames Ward-Prowse: The skipper has an encouraging record against Saturday's opposition, with three goals and three assists from past encounters. 

With his free-kick helping secure victory in the FA Cup in January, Ward-Prowse will need to be a goal-threat once again.

Michael Olise: Missing talisman Wilfried Zaha through injury, Olise has stepped up in spectacular fashion.

With three assists last time out against Leeds, the 21-year-old became just the second Palace player to do so in a single Premier League game.

TOP PERFORMERS

Southampton

Goals:
Ché Adams 10
James Ward-Prowse 9
Romain Perraud 4

Assists:
Adams, Ward-Prowse, Mara 3
Perraud, Djenepo, Elyounoussi 2

Crystal Palace

Goals:
Zaha, Édouard 6
Eberechi Eze 5
Jordan Ayew 3

Assists:
Michael Olise 8
Zaha, Eze 3
Édouard, Ayew, Schlupp, Doucouré, Mitchell 2

HEAD TO HEAD

Played: 95
Saints: 45
Draws: 19
Man City: 31

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

January 2023: Crystal Palace 1-2 Saints (Ward-Prowse, A Armstrong)
August 2022: Crystal Palace 1-0 Saints
April 2022: Saints 1-2 Crystal Palace (Romeu)
December 2021: Crystal Palace 2-2 Saints (Ward-Prowse, Broja)
May 2021: Saints 3-1 Crystal Palace (Ings 2, Adams)

DID YOU KNOW?

Only against Tottenham (9) has James Ward-Prowse been involved in more Premier League goals against a side than Crystal Palace (6 – 3 goals, 3 assists).

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