Crystal Palace vs Liverpool Prediction: Reds to crank up pressure on Roy

The pressure on Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace looks to have nearly reached boiling point, so the 76-year-old could really do without the visit of Premier League title-chasers Liverpool to Selhurst Park on Saturday lunchtime (KO, 12:30).

The Reds dispatched Sheffield United 2-0 on Wednesday night to move back to within two points of leaders Arsenal, and they can move ahead of the Gunners - who face a tricky trip to Villa Park later in the day - with a win over Palace.

A 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth in midweek has ramped up the calls for Hodgson to leave the Eagles, who have won just once in their last eight games. With a trip to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City next week, the ex-England manager finds himself in a perilous position.

Team News

Palace weren't exactly cruising with Eberechi Eze and Cheick Doucoure in the side but the absence of both in recent games has been evident, and the duo will miss out again on Saturday.

Doucoure's injury has seen defender Chris Richards thrust into the midfield, but it remains to be seen whether Will Hughes earns a recall to the starting XI in place of him, or alongside him.

Tyrick Mitchell looks likely to miss out after being substituted with a muscle strain on Wednesday, and his replacement against Bournemouth, Nathaniel Clyne, is the obvious replacement to line up against his old side this weekend.

Liverpool made four changes in midweek, with Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo starting ahead of Joel Matip, Kostas Tsimikas, Ryan Gravenberch and Darwin Nunez.

Konate will keep his place with Matip out injured for a significant period of time, but Tsimikas and Nunez are certainties to return, with Gomez and probably Gakpo dropping to the bench.

Alexis Mac Allister required stitches on his knee against Sheffield United, so Klopp may opt to rest the Argentine for this one. Dominik Szoboszlai and Endo should keep their place in midfield, with Gravenberch probably competing with Curtis Jones for the third midfield spot.

Match Odds

Palace are 5/1 to win at home for the first time since September 3, with the visitors obvious favourites to take the three points at 1/2.

The corresponding fixture last season saw the teams play out a drab 0-0 draw; it's 10/3 for the same result on Saturday, and 14/1 for the exact same scoreline.

Mohamed Salah to score first @ 7/2 (odds doubled if Salah scores a second and trebled if he scores a third)

The wait goes on for the Egyptian King to net his 200th Liverpool goal. Granted, it's only been two games without one, but for a player with his record, that constitutes something of a drought. Perhaps he's saving it for Manchester United at Anfield, but he's not exactly been shy against the Eagles, scoring seven in 10 games against them for the Reds.

Salah should be extra confident on Saturday, with regular Palace left-back Mitchell set to be replaced by Clyne. The 32-year-old was a fine right-back in his heyday, but his best days are behind him now and his former teammate should be relishing the chance to go at a player in an unfamiliar position.

Betfred are also offering 'Double Delight & Hat-trick Heaven' for this market, meaning that if Salah is the first goalscorer and then scores a second, the first goalscorer odds will be doubled, and if the 31-year-old gets a third, the odds will be trebled.

Liverpool to win to nil @ 7/4

I suggested this bet in midweek when Liverpool travelled to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United, and while I think Palace are a better side than the Blades, both of them have something in common - they're not very good at scoring goals.

The Reds kept a clean sheet against the Premier League's worst attack on Wednesday, and their next task is to shut out the second-worst attack in the division. Palace have only scored 14 league goals this season and they have been particularly poor at Selhurst Park, finding the net just six times in seven games.

Selhurst has been such a fortress for Palace in recent years, and they've caused big sides all manner of problems there, particularly during night games. The atmosphere, naturally, is more subdued at Saturday lunchtime kick-offs, and they've only beaten Wolves at home this term, failing to score in four games in SE25.

With Eze out, the goalscoring burden falls to Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise, but neither of those are exactly prolific, despite the former already beating his tally of last season.

Liverpool have kept two clean sheets in their last four games and with Virgil van Dijk looking like his normal, impenetrable self, they're a tough side to break down.

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