Southampton – Crystal Palace
St. Mary’s Stadium opens its doors for an uneven duel: Southampton is in last place with only nine points, already eight points behind Leicester. Manager Ivan Juric has been waiting in vain for a successful result for five league games – most recently a 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, are experiencing a high under Oliver Glasner: four wins in the last five Premier League games and a commanding 3-0 win in the FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham underpin the upward trend. In the last head-to-head meeting, Palace came out on top 2-1 at the end of December and have emerged victorious in four of the last five meetings.
Southampton – Crystal Palace info
- Venue: St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, Hampshire
- Date and Time: 02.04.2025, 20:45
- Competition: Premier League
Southampton Form & Record Check
Southampton remain in the midst of a crisis. They have lost all five of their last league games, including the most recent 1-2 against Wolverhampton. Defensively, Juric’s team once again looked overwhelmed as Strand Larsen scored twice to break the Saints’ defense; a late consolation goal from Onuachu did not change the outcome. Even more alarming are 16 goals conceded in five games and clear defeats such as a 4-0 loss to Brighton. Injury concerns further exacerbate the situation: defender Jan Bednarek could be out with a head injury, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis is struggling. A small ray of hope is 19-year-old Tyler Dibling, who is attracting attention with his offensive qualities. But overall, there is a lack of everything at the moment: even when Southampton do manage to score occasionally, they lack defensive compactness. The mood in the team is already reminiscent of the relegation scenario.
Southampton are likely to line up in a 3-4-3 again to at least gain stability defensively. Ramsdale is expected to be in goal, while Walker-Peters, Bella-Kotchap and – if fit in time – Harwood-Bellis will form the back three. Aribo and Sugawara are likely to operate on the wings, with Ugochukwu and Lallana in central midfield. In attack, Juric is likely to field the trio Dibling, Fernandes and Sulemana. The latter’s dynamism has provided a few bright spots in an otherwise weak offensive game. At the same time, Fraser, Larios, Charlie Taylor and Stewart are still out. Jan Bednarek’s availability is also in question after his head injury, which further increases the personnel concerns in defense.
Crystal Palace Form & Record Check
Crystal Palace are in scintillating form at the moment. Oliver Glasner’s side have won all five of their matches in all competitions in the past five games and underlined their strength with a convincing 3-0 win in the FA Cup against Fulham at the weekend. In 80% of their most recent league matches, Palace have led at half-time and kept a clean sheet in all five of them, while scoring 13 themselves. Jean-Philippe Mateta is proving to be a clinical finisher, while Eberechi Eze has recently excelled both as a goalscorer and an assist provider. With 39 points, the club ranks 12th in the table and is just two points behind Manchester United. Despite personnel upheaval in the club’s leadership and transfer rumors surrounding Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi, Glasner’s team is brimming with confidence. Reaching the FA Cup semi-finals also fuels hopes of winning their first title in a long time.
At Crystal Palace, there is every indication that interim coach Leif Smerud will again opt for a 3-4-2-1 formation. Henderson is likely to keep goal, while the back three of Mitchell, Lacroix and Guéhi should provide defensive security. Munoz and Hughes could operate on the flanks, with Lerma and Wharton forming the heart of the midfield in the center. Directly behind the lone striker Mateta, Eze and Sarr should provide creativity and pace. In addition to the long-term injured Cheick Doucouré (knee surgery), Smerud still has to do without Chadi Riad and Joel Ward, which somewhat limits the squad options.
Southampton – Crystal Palace head to head & statistics
Crystal Palace have almost always come out on top in direct duels recently. The Eagles have won four of the last five meetings, while Southampton have only triumphed once – in a 2-1 FA Cup victory in January 2023. In the Premier League, Palace seems to be something of a bogey team, winning all five league meetings between the sides in recent years. Although the results have mostly been close, Crystal Palace have scored at least once in all five games. Southampton have not beaten the Eagles in the league since April 2022.
