Preview: Crystal Palace vs. Burnley - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh off ending a nine-match winless Premier League run, Crystal Palace host Burnley at Selhurst Park on Wednesday, seeking consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since December.

The precedent in this fixture undoubtedly favours the Eagles, who have won the last three meetings against the Clarets, and are backed to add to the Lancashire side’s misery by extending the visitors’ seven-match winless run in midweek league games.

Match preview

Oliver Glasner was full of praise for the Palace supporters after Sunday’s 1-0 win over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion secured the club’s first top-flight victory in 10 games, since defeating Fulham 2-1 on December 7.

That triumph was the Eagles’ third win in four league matches, all away from home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and Fulham, and the Austrian manager lauded the fans for not booing during the team’s two-month malaise.

Aiming to restore some Selhurst Park confidence, the South London club head into this midweek round 26 fixture seeking their first home league victory since beating Brentford 2-0 at the start of November.

Seven matches have passed in South London since that success over the Bees, with four ending in defeat and three drawn, but the Eagles will hope to turn the tide by inflicting Burnley’s 17th league loss of the campaign this week.

Indeed, three statistics ought to please Palace supporters heading into Wednesday: their club have won the last three meetings against Burnley without conceding; the Eagles are unbeaten in 11 of their last 12 midweek Premier League games; and the hosts are enjoying a nine-year unbeaten run against teams starting the day in the bottom three, winning 13 and drawing six.

Looking to keep that run going, the 13th-placed hosts aim to extend their five-year unbeaten streak against their second-bottom Lancashire visitors, who suffered a 16th league defeat of the season at the weekend.

Only bottom club Wolves (19) have lost more times than second-bottom Burnley, whose latest 2-0 reverse at home to fellow strugglers West Ham United left the Clarets eight points adrift of the Hammers.

With three further points separating Scott Parker’s team from Nottingham Forest in 17th, the Lancashire club’s prospects of beating the drop grow ever bleaker, as they now sit 11 points from safety.

Having appeared to be on the cusp of a hopeful turnaround in the relegation battle after three consecutive score draws with Manchester United (2-2), Liverpool (1-1) and Tottenham Hotspur (2-2), Parker must now lift a side that have suffered back-to-back defeats against Sunderland (3-0) and West Ham (2-0) without scoring.

Those chances appear slim in light of the Clarets’ broader away form this term, with five of their 15 points coming on the road — only Wolves (three) have fewer — and their prospects are further diminished by having conceded a joint-high 30 goals on their travels and holding the division’s worst away goal difference (-17).

With Parker himself winless in eight previous visits to London as a manager, losing five and drawing three, the former West Ham midfielder’s side face an uphill task to avoid another disappointment on their travels, as the Clarets strive to avoid a 10th away defeat of the season.

Crystal Palace Premier League form:

Crystal Palace form (all competitions):

Burnley Premier League form:

Burnley form (all competitions):

Team News

Although Palace seemed to come through their Brighton victory unscathed, Glasner has several players out injured: Eddie Nketiah (thigh), Cheick Doucouré (knee), Jean-Philippe Mateta (knee), Rio Cardines and Caleb Kporha (back) are all absent, while Justin Devenny’s foot issue will be assessed before Wednesday.

Fresh from scoring in consecutive league games, AFCON 2025 winner Ismaila Sarr — who netted twice in last season’s visit to the Amex — aims to score in three Premier League matches in a row.

Sunday’s goal was his fifth in the league this season, even if three of them have come away from home, and the Senegal international is seeking his first top-flight goal at Selhurst Park since September.

While Evann Guessand is pushing for a first start since joining on loan from Aston Villa, the forward is expected to begin on the bench at Selhurst Park, pointing to a 21st Premier League start for Yeremy Pino.

Having missed out against his parent club West Ham, James Ward-Prowse could feature in some capacity at Palace, potentially making his debut appearance for the Clarets.

Expected to miss out through injury for Parker’s side are Mike Tresor (ankle), Zeki Amdouni (knee), Jordan Beyer (thigh), Connor Roberts (groin) and John Cullen (knee), while Axel Tuanzebe’s Achilles issue will be assessed.

With all five of Zian Flemming’s league goals coming away from home, the forward — who has netted 38.5% of the Clarets’ 13 away league goals — aims to add to that tally.

However, the Dutchman has not scored on the road since December’s 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United, drawing blanks in trips to Bournemouth and Sunderland, and it remains to be seen whether he is third-time lucky.

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:

Henderson; Lerma, Lacroix, Richards; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Larsen

Burnley possible starting lineup:

Dubravka; Walker, Humphreys, Esteve, Pires; Edwards, Mejbri, Luis, Ugochukwu, Anthony; Flemming

We say: Crystal Palace 2-0 Burnley

Although Palace have found victories hard to come by at Selhurst Park lately, their historic dominance over teams in the bottom three and their winning streak against Burnley suggest they will find a way to prevail.

Consequently, Parker’s poor managerial record in London is likely to continue, as his side fall to a narrow defeat in South London.

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