Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Crystal Palace forwards Yannick Bolasie and Connor Wickham have been ruled out for at least the next month with respective hip/thigh and calf injuries.
Patrick Bamford could return from injury but Lee Chung-yong is missing after becoming a father.
Swansea caretaker manager Alan Curtis is expected to make changes due to a “couple of aches and strains”.
Angel Rangel and Leon Britton could be rested, with Kyle Naughton and Jonjo Shelvey their potential replacements.
Editor’s Note: Crystal Palace have moved up to 6th and above Manchester United after their stalemate at Bournemouth on Saturday, they will look to stay above the Red Devils with a win over a struggling Swansea
Palace are on a run of 5 games unbeaten and if they can sustain this Top 6 position once the New Year is complete then Alan Pardew might be tempted in thinking that European Football is a definite target come the end of the season. Whether that will mean a few new faces joining the squad remains to be seen but a lot will depend on their next two results and first they have to overcome a Swansea side who got their first win in 14 matches on Saturday.
It wasn’t a particularly pretty win for Swansea on Saturday but when you’re at that end of the table they never usually are. Alan Curtis stays in charge in what will be the 4th game of his reign, a win for Swansea today will do his chances of getting the job at least until the end of the season no harm.
He might end up getting the job by default as Huw Jenkins struggles to get in a new incumbent to the Liberty Stadium but that’s an issue for after the game, today Alan Curtis has to try and get that momentum to continue and at least extend their unbeaten run to 3 matches. But it won’t be easy against a Palace side who are flying high in the table.
Today I think it’s going to be a home win for Palace as they halt the Swans flight away from the drop zone.
