MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 05:51:19| >> :600:379637:379637:
[monks data]
Cardiff City logo
Premier League
Apr 5, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Crystal Palace logo

0-3

FT(HT: 0-1)
Puncheon (31', 89'), Ledley (71')

Preview: Cardiff City vs. Crystal Palace

Sports Mole previews the clash between Cardiff City and Crystal Palace in Wales as the relegation-threatened Bluebirds try to drag the Eagles back into the dogfight.

Cardiff City's survival hopes were kept alive by a 93rd-minute equaliser from Mats Moller Daehli in the 3-3 draw with West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

The 19-year-old Norwegian's first Premier League strike prevented the Bluebirds from falling six points adrift of the Baggies and top-flight safety.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping that this goal will give Cardiff momentum when they continue their battle against the drop at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Welsh outfit could move level on points with 17th-placed Albion and drag Palace, who are five points ahead of them, right back into the relegation scrap with victory at the Cardiff City Stadium.

A shock 1-0 triumph over title-chasing Chelsea at Selhurst Park in their last outing boosted Palace's hopes of securing consecutive seasons in the Premier League for the first time.

It was their fourth home win in six matches, but their away form is not so encouraging, with the Eagles having not collected maximum points on the road since a Boxing Day success over Aston Villa.

Tony Pulis is not a manager to change a winning formula and therefore could name the same starting XI that claimed the scalp of the Blues, although Marouane Chamakh is pushing for a recall.

Palace are hoping that the Moroccan striker could be fit to return following a month out with a hamstring injury and if he is, he could replace former Cardiff forward Cameron Jerome up front.

Thomas Ince, who rejected the chance to join Cardiff last summer, may again have to settle for a place on the bench alongside fellow January arrival Wayne Hennessey, who has yet to play for the Londoners.

Solskjaer may reward Hawthorns hero Daeli with a start in attack alongside Frazier Campbell, who has been usurped as the club's top scorer by a run of three goals in two matches from Jordan Mutch.

The midfielder, who had previously not scored for the Welsh outfit, now has seven for the season in only 20 starts, while defender Steven Caulker has also proved a valuable source of goals with five.

It is defensively where Cardiff have slipped up under Solskjaer, and conceding twice in the opening 10 minutes against Albion forced the former Manchester United star into a tactical rethink.

Fabio da Silva was hauled off in the first half and replaced by Old Trafford loanee Wifried Zaha as the Bluebirds switched to a 4-4-2 system, which they may employ from the start against Palace.

Eagles chairman Steve Parish has admitted his interest in resigning Zaha this week, but the ex-Selhurst Park favourite could line up against the team that he inspired to promotion on Saturday.

Recent form

Cardiff: DLLWLL

Palace: WLDLDL

Possible starting lineups

Cardiff: Marshall, Theophile-Catherine, Turner, Caulker, Taylor; Zaha, Medel, Gunnarsson, Mutch; Daehli, Campbell

Palace: Speroni; Mariappa, Dann, Delaney, Ward; Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Ledley; Bolaise, Puncheon, Jerome

Sports Mole says: 2-1


ID:147903: cacheID:147903:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5921:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Mats Moller Daehli of Cardiff City celebrates scoring their third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between West Brom on March 29, 2014
Read Next:
Match Analysis: West Brom 3-3 Cardiff City
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Blanch
Nadal
10am
Cachin
Ofner
10am
Elahi Galan
Bautista-Agut
10am
Gasquet
Sonego
10am
Hanfmann
Mensik
10am
Koepfer
Carballes Baena
10am
Kovacevic
Medjedovic
10am
Lajovic
Monteiro
10am
Machac
Ruusuvuori
10am
Michelsen
Fonseca
10am
Nishioka
Auger-Aliassime
10am
O'Connell
Arnaldi
10am
Purcell
Giron
10am
Ramos-Vinolas
Kotov
10am
Tabilo
Cobolli
10am
Zhizhen
Kecmanovic
10am
Azarenka
Maria
10am
Eala
Cirstea
10am
Annie Fernandez
Potapova
10am
Gauff
Rus
10am
Keys
Camelia-Begu
10am
Podoroska
Navarro
10am
Karolina Schmiedlova
Jabeur
10am
Swiatek
Wang
10am
Baez
Van Assche
10am
Coric
Zverev
10am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
10am
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
10am
Hurkacz
Draper
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Altmaier
Fils
10am
Darderi
Fritz
10am
Griekspoor
Daniel
10am
Munar
Struff
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Navone
Rune
10am
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
10am
Alexandrova
Krueger
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
10am
Boulter
Montgomery
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Collins
Danilovic
3pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
10am
Dolehide
Kalinina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Linette
Sabalenka
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
10am
Sorribes Tormo
Svitolina
10am
Vekic
Sakkari
11.30am
Arango
Yastremska
11.30am
Osaka
Samsonova
11.30am
Ostapenko
Bouzas Maneiro
1pm
Haddad Maia
Errani
2.30pm
Lourdes Carle
Kudermetova
2.30pm
Mertens
Stephens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester443041086394794
2Leeds UnitedLeeds44279880374390
3Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
4Southampton442591085612484
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4420121267442372
6Norwich CityNorwich442191477611672
7Hull City441912136556969
8Coventry CityCoventry4317121468551363
9Middlesbrough44189176460463
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Cardiff CityCardiff44195205061-1162
12Bristol City441611175147459
13Sunderland44168205251156
14Swansea CitySwansea441511185762-556
15Watford441217155958153
16Millwall441411194355-1253
17Stoke CityStoke441311204460-1650
18Queens Park RangersQPR441311204157-1650
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn441310215874-1649
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth441212205869-1148
21Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds44138233968-2947
22Birmingham CityBirmingham441210224864-1646
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield44917184774-2744
RRotherham UnitedRotherham44412283285-5324


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!