Crystal Palace vs Leicester Preview
- Draw or Palace win
- Eze to score
Crystal Palace’s Underwhelming Start
After finishing last season in stellar form, Crystal Palace’s start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign has been less impressive.
With just one point from their first three matches (D1, L2), they are still looking for their first win of the season.
Their most recent result, a 1-1 draw against Chelsea before the international break, helped them get off the mark, but manager Roy Hodgson will be eager to see his side pick up three points when they host Leicester City at Selhurst Park.
Palace have historically performed well against the Foxes, winning more Premier League matches against Leicester (nine) than against any other club.
They’ll be hoping to rediscover the form that saw them win their final four home games last season, where they scored an average of four goals per game.
Palace fans are optimistic that their 2-0 defeat to West Ham on matchday two was just an anomaly, as they haven’t lost consecutive home league matches in 2024.
Leicester City’s Mixed Fortunes
Leicester City’s start to the new campaign mirrors Palace’s, with a record of D1, L2, but they sit one place higher in the table due to a marginally better goal difference.
The Foxes’ off-field win came from avoiding punishment for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. However, their on-field performances have been less convincing. After an opening-day 1-1 draw with Tottenham, they suffered two consecutive 2-1 losses.
Leicester’s recent history in this fixture offers some encouragement, with three of the last five head-to-heads (H2Hs) between these two sides ending in a 2-1 scoreline, two of those going in favour of Leicester.
However, their fortunes at Selhurst Park have been poor, with just one win in their last seven visits (D3, L3).
This hasn’t been a favourable ground for the Foxes, and they’ll need to put in a much-improved performance to secure their first win of the season.
Key Players to Watch
Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
Eze has been a standout for Palace, and he remains their only goalscorer in the league so far this season.
His strike against Chelsea continued a personal trend, as it marked his fifth consecutive goal in all competitions to come after the 50th minute. Eze’s creativity and knack for scoring late goals make him a key figure in this clash.
Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester City)
Facundo Buonanotte has been one of Leicester’s bright spots, contributing to two of their last three league goals (G1, A1).
His first-half goal against Palace last season, while playing for Brighton, shows his ability to impact games early, and Leicester will hope he can replicate that in this fixture.
Conclusion
Both Crystal Palace and Leicester City are aiming to secure their first Premier League win of the season in this encounter.
Palace’s strong home form from last season and their positive record against Leicester will give them confidence heading into this match. Leicester, on the other hand, will need to improve defensively and find a way to break their poor record at Selhurst Park.
Prediction: Crystal Palace to win narrowly, with Eze once again stepping up in a key moment for the hosts.
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