How Crystal Palace could line up against Southampton

By Ben Knapton | 09 May 2021 09:56, Last updated: 04 Jun 2025 23:31

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson still has a number of absentees to contend with for Tuesday's Premier League battle with Southampton at St Mary's Stadium.

With survival now confirmed, the Eagles remain without Connor Wickham, Nathan Ferguson and Mamadou Sakho for this encounter, while James McArthur's troublesome calf issue is preventing him from returning to action.

Palace may be boosted by the return of James Tomkins, though, as the defender played 60 minutes for the Under-23s recently and could potentially make the squad for the trip south.

However, any changes in defence would likely see Scott Dann come back in for Gary Cahill, who may not be ready for two games in quick succession having just returned from injury himself.

Hodgson could elect to make a number of changes with nothing on the line for the rest of the season, with Jairo Riedewald and James McCarthy both vying to partner Luka Milivojevic in the middle, and the former may get the nod.

Jeffrey Schlupp could therefore make way, and Jordan Ayew will hope to displace Andros Townsend on the right-hand side of the attack, but Hodgson has a good kind of selection dilemma in the final third.

Loanees Michy Batshuayi and Jean-Philippe Mateta are aspiring for more starts, but with 11 goals from 18 league outings on Tuesdays, Christian Benteke will hope to be given the chance to continue that hot streak here.

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup: Guaita; Ward, Kouyate, Dann, Van Aanholt; Ayew, Milivojevic, Riedewald; Eze; Zaha, Benteke

> Click here to see how Southampton could line up for this clash