Preview: Crystal Palace vs Everton - prediction, team news, lineups

Crystal Palace already have one eye firmly fixed on Leipzig, but they cannot afford to take the other eye off the ball in the Premier League as they prepare to host Everton at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

The Eagles are still at a slight risk of dropping down to the second tier, while their visitors are not out of the European chase just yet.

Match preview

Winning the FA Cup last season was the zenith of Crystal Palace's existence, but the capital outfit could remarkably hit even higher heights a little over 12 months later by conquering the continent - in the tertiary sense.

Simply needing to avoid a calamitous collapse in the second leg of their Conference League quarter-final with Shakhtar Donetsk - having prevailed 3-1 away from home two Thursdays ago - Oliver Glasner's men strode into the final with a 2-1 win on the night and 5-2 aggregate success overall.

La Liga side Rayo Vallecano now stand in Palace's way of a first-ever European trophy, which has been the hosts' priority for a number of weeks now, but Glasner's men have a bit of work still to do to be absolutely sure of their top-tier status.

Back-to-back defeats to Bournemouth and Liverpool have left the hosts 15th in the Premier League table, seven points above the drop zone with three games remaining, so victory on Sunday would guarantee their safety.

Despite a downturn in attacking fortunes - ranking 19th in the Premier League for shots and shots on target since Glasner's departure was announced on January 16 - Palace have become an extremely tough nut to crack at home, going unbeaten in eight at Selhurst Park and conceding just twice in that time.

Everton shipped more in 90 minutes against Manchester City than Crystal Palace have done in their last 720 minutes of home football, and the Citizens third goal in Monday's 3-3 spectacular proved especially devastating for David Moyes and co.

Jeremy Doku started and ended the scoring with sumptuous curlers from outside the area, but either side of the Belgian's strikes, Everton raced into a 3-1 lead against the self-destructive Sky Blues, doing their utmost to offer a helping hand to former flame Mikel Arteta.

A point against Pep Guardiola's side is still a highly respectable result, but it is also one that extended the Toffees' winless Premier League run to four matches and left them four points off the top six.

Also suffering late heartache against Merseyside rivals Liverpool and West Ham United, Everton have shipped a result-altering goal in the 90th minute or later in each of their last three games, the first team to do so in Premier League history.

Moyes's men have also now conceded at least two goals in six of their last eight top-flight contests - including each of their last four away from home - but they have won each of their last three games against Palace by a 2-1 scoreline.

Crystal Palace Premier League form:

Crystal Palace form (all competitions):

Everton Premier League form:

Team News

After sitting out the thriller with Man City due to a slight knock, Everton veteran Idrissa Gueye is yet to resume training and will ostensibly be missing for Sunday's game too.

Jack Grealish would ordinarily be able to return from ineligibility this weekend, but the Manchester City loanee is still recovering from his serious foot injury, while Jarrad Branthwaite (hamstring) remains out too.

Bagging a brace off the bench on Monday - albeit thanks to some catastrophic City defending - Thierno Barry is in the frame to replace Beto up top, in what may be the visitors' sole alteration.

As for the Conference League finalists, Glasner has confirmed no fresh issues from Thursday's historic success, although he name-checked a few players who are likely to make way this weekend.

Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Yeremy Pino and Ismaila Sarr could be in line for rests, although Borna Sosa's problem complicates matters for Glasner if he wishes to demote Mitchell.

Eddie Nketiah (thigh), Evann Guessand (knee) and Cheick Doucoure remain on the sidelines for the Eagles.

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:

Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Riad; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Cardines; Johnson, Devenny; Strand Larsen

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; O'Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Rohl, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry

We say: Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton

Everton's propensity to concede goals means that the Toffees should not come out of Sunday's game unscathed, but the visitors can capitalise on Palace's midweek fatigue and expected rotation.

The hosts' attacking numbers in the league over the past four months also make for grim reading, so Moyes's men have our backing to return to winning ways and keep their European hopes alive.

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