Competition: Premier League Date: 5 April 2014 Game week: 33 Kick-off: 15:00 Venue: Cardiff City Stadium The Bluebirds vs The Eagles Tony Pulis will have no room for sentiment when Crystal Palace visit Cardiff City for a crucial match in the relegation battle on Saturday. Just five points separate 16th-placed Palace from Cardiff, who occupy the final relegation spot, and defeat for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men at the Cardiff City Stadium would deal a huge blow to their Premier League survival prospects. For Palace manager Pulis, the fixture will evoke memories of his childhood, with the Welshman having watched Cardiff in his youth. Pulis is keen for Cardiff to retain their top-flight status, but has no intention of doing the Welsh club a favour. For Cardiff, the fixture is unlikely to provide the same level of drama that the 3-3 draw at West Brom produced last week. After Cardiff had clawed back a 2-0 deficit, West Brom appeared to have stolen all three points through Thievy Bifouma in the fourth minute of stoppage time, only for Mats Daehli to send the away fans into raptures with an immediate equaliser. That point could yet prove crucial, but with just six games remaining time is running out for Cardiff to beat the drop, prompting winger Craig Noone to describe the Palace game as "must-win". "These are the must-win games of your career," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "You don't get many of them which you have to win, but I think this is one of them. It's a massive game and we're targeting three points." Full-back Fabio is the only fresh injury concern for Solskjaer; the on-loan Manchester United defender came off early against West Brom with a knock. Possible 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 Cardiff are tipped as favourites for website Sportsmole who are predicting a 2-1 victory. Palace are tipped as favourites for website Goal.com who are predicting a 0-1 victory. Head To Head: Premier League ‎(EPL): 7th Dec 2013: Crystal Palace 2 - Cardiff City 0 England - Championship: 26 Dec 2012: Cardiff City 2 - Crystal Palace 1 England - Championship: 22 Sep 2012: Crystal Palace 3 - Cardiff City 2 Capital One Cup: 24 Jan 2012: (PEN) Cardiff City 1 - Crystal Palace 0 Capital One Cup: 10 Jan 2012: Crystal Palace 1 - Cardiff City 0 Last 5 matches: Cardiff 29 Mar 2014 West Bromwich Albion 3 - Cardiff City 3 EPL 22 Mar 2014 Cardiff City 3 - Liverpool 6 EPL 15 Mar 2014 Everton 2 - Cardiff City 1 EPL 8 Mar 2014 Cardiff City 3 - Fulham 1 EPL 2 Mar 2014 Tottenham 1 - Cardiff City 0 EPL Palace 29 Mar 2014 Crystal Palace 1 - Chelsea FC 0 EPL 22 Mar 2014 Newcastle United 1 - Crystal Palace 0 EPL 15 Mar 2014 Sunderland 0 - Crystal Palace 0 EPL 8 Mar 2014 Crystal Palace 0 - Southampton 1 EPL 2 Mar 2014 Swansea City 1 - Crystal Palace 1 EPL
TEAM NEWS Cardiff are boosted by the return of Craig Noone following a groin strain. Fabio is a doubt after picking up a knock against West Brom, while Wilfried Zaha is pushing for a start against his former club. Crystal Palace are hopeful top scorer Marouane Chamakh will be fit enough to start after a month out with a hamstring injury. Fellow striker Dwight Gayle has an ankle ligament problem and is Palace's only definite absentee. MATCH PREVIEW Whichever way you describe it, this is a huge match for both clubs in the battle to avoid relegation. Cardiff, three points from safety, have six matches left to preserve their Premier League status. Crystal Palace, five points above the Bluebirds in 16th, have seven fixtures remaining. I was at Selhurst Park for Match of the Day back in early December when Palace defeated Cardiff 2-0. Cameron Jerome scored against one of his former clubs, the only goal he has managed this season, while Marouane Chamakh, who looks set to return this weekend after injury, got the other. Mark Lawrenson "Cardiff badly need three points but, to get them, they need to find a way of breaking down a Palace side that can suffocate teams and stop them from playing." That match took place soon after Tony Pulis had been appointed as Palace boss, and only three weeks before Malky Mackay parted company with the Welsh club, to be replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The merits of the managerial changes have been much debated, and will continue to be right up until the fate of both clubs has been decided. The manner of Cardiff's amazing draw at West Bromwich Albion last weekend will have given them a boost ahead of a fixture that Jordon Mutch describes as "must-win." However, the Eagles victory over Chelsea is one of the results of the season and they will arrive in Wales feeling on top of the world. The game will surely bring mixed feelings for two players who have very strong ties to the opposition. Cardiff loanee Wilfried Zaha made his name at Palace before his move to Manchester United last year. Joe Ledley, a January arrival at Palace from Celtic, was born in Cardiff and joined them aged nine. He played in the 2008 FA Cup final for the Bluebirds and admits in an ideal world both the club he plays for, and the one he supports, will be in the Premier League next season. It's unlikely to happen. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Palace won the reverse fixture 2-0 last December, ex-Bluebird Cameron Jerome and Marouane Chamakh with the goals. Cardiff are unbeaten in their last nine home games against Palace, winning their last three. Cardiff In 12 league games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, both of Cardiff's wins have come at home against fellow clubs in the bottom six (Norwich and Fulham). Cardiff have averaged just 0.67 points per match under Solskjaer, compared to 0.9 per game under previous boss Malky Mackay. There have been 27 goals in the last six league games involving the Bluebirds, an average of 4.5 goals per game. Cardiff have only led twice at half-time in the Premier League. David Marshall has made more saves than any other Premier League goalkeeper this season (127). Crystal Palace Palace's tally of 31 points is their highest after 31 games of a 38-game Premier League season. The Eagles are yet to win an away league match in 2014 (D2, L4). There have been just five goals in Palace's last six league games: two for Tony Pulis's men, three against. Only Norwich (12) have lost more away league games than Palace (11). Palace have scored the fewest away goals (six) in the Premier League and have failed to score in five of their last six away matches.
We don't want to know about your personal matters thank you...... Mind you, if we win, I'll have one too....................
Gunnarson not selected. Cardiff City 01 Marshall 28 Théophile-Catherine 03 Taylor 08 Medel 04 Caulker 06 Turner 36 Zaha 18 Mutch 10 Campbell 09 Jones 29 Daehli Substitutes 15 Wolff Eikrem 16 Noone 19 Cowie 25 McNaughton 27 Torres Ruiz 32 Lewis 39 Bellamy
Ole may come good, but we should have got TP when we had the chance. Joe has been impressive as well. A bad campaign and we don't deserve to stay up. I think we will bounce back next season.
It does look that way. A horrible season. Looking forward to the Champ and getting it right next time.
Might as well take an early vacation lads? cannot see you staying up after today, Fulham have pulled away a tad, but I still see them going down, unless WBA, Norwich, or ourselves oblige!..................
