Crystal Palace vs Brentford

Selhurst Park is the venue as Crystal Palace and Brentford go head-to-head in a bottom-half Premier League showdown.

Conceding a late penalty condemned Crystal Palace to a frustrating 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in midweek, extending their disappointing winless run in the Premier League to eight matches (D3, L5). As pressure starts to mount on veteran manager Roy Hodgson, the ‘Eagles’ come into this round seeking their first league win since early November. Preventing further downfall is imperative for Hodgson after his side’s rough patch allowed 18th-placed Luton Town to whittle down the gap to only three points. Brentford’s visit to Selhurst Park offers no respite, considering the last five Premier League encounters between the sides have ended level. But the fact two of those five draws finished 0-0 gives Palace hope they could halt a dismal run of conceding two goals in four of their last five league outings.

In the meantime, Brentford’s position in the standings is equally precarious, as they have just one point more than Palace to their name following an embarrassing four-game losing streak, bookended by a 4-1 demolition to Wolverhampton Wanderers at home. Leaving the Gtech Community Stadium spells more trouble as Thomas Frank’s men have lost their last three away league games, drawing a blank on two occasions. Indeed, only three teams in the Premier League have acquired fewer points than the Bees’ seven on the road this term (W2, D1, L5), casting doubt on their bid to make a piece of history at Selhurst Park. After four consecutive triumphs in away Premier League London derbies, they could become only the third side to make it five on the trot.