Crystal Palace vs AFC Bournemouth
Selhurst Park, London
Tuesday, 03-12-2019 @10:30pm
Ref: Anthoney Taylor
Crystal Palace snapped a run of five games without a victory this past weekend as they defeated Burnley 2-0 away from home and will be hoping to make it two victories in as many games when they host a Bournemouth side that has lost all their last three games including a 3-2 loss at Tottenham on Saturday.
However, Palace will have to do it without defenders Scott Dann and Gary Cahill. Dann came into to the Palace side due to Cahill’s knee injury but sustained a knock to his ankle on Saturday. Roy Hodgson, who is hopeful the pair will return against Watford at the weekend, is still without right-back Joel Ward following his knee injury in the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool last month.
For Bournemouth will have captain Simon Francis and midfielder Philip Billing back from one-match suspensions at Selhurst Park. Winger Harry Wilson is pushing for a start after scoring twice as a substitute against Tottenham, while full-back Adam Smith could return from illness, but forward Joshua King is not expected to overcome a hamstring injury in time to feature.
Having lost their first Premier League home game against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last three against them at Selhurst Park (W1 D2), winning this exact fixture 5-3 last season. Both teams have scored in all four Premier League meetings between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at Selhurst Park, with 17 goals being netted in total in these games (4.3 per game). Bournemouth have lost their last five Premier League games in London, conceding 19 goals in the process. The Cherries had lost just one of their previous six in the capital prior to this run (W3 D2). Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha has scored in back-to-back Premier League games, after a run of 13 without a goal in the competition. He last scored in three league games in a row back in February. Five of Harry Wilson’s six Premier League goals this season have been scored away from home. Indeed, the Welshman has netted 56% (five out of nine) of Bournemouth’s nine away league goals this term.
Burnley vs Man City
Turf Moor, Burnley
Tuesday, 03-12-2019 @11:15pm
Ref: Jonathan Moss
It is starting to look increasingly unlikely that City will defend their Premier League crown for the second time running. Pep Guardiola’s side were on Saturday held to a 2-2 draw by Newcastle United, a result that left them 11 points behind leaders Liverpool. It may be only 14 games into the season but City are not looking like their usual selves and fears of falling further behind before the turn of the year are more evident that closing in on the Kops.
On Tuesday, City have a chance to reduce that deficit to at least 8 points as Liverpool will only be in action the following day. Against a Burnley side that is fresh from a 2-0 home loss on Saturday, it will not be an easy ride either.
Burnley look set to be without defender Charlie Taylor against Manchester City. The left-back sustained a hamstring injury in Saturday’s defeat to Crystal Palace and while Sean Dyche is hopeful it is not too serious, Taylor’s involvement against the champions looks unlikely. Erik Pieters, who replaced Taylor, picked up a knock late on in the same game but Dyche is optimistic the Dutchman will shake it off in time. Ashley Westwood is a doubt with a groin problem, while fellow midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson is recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up on duty with Iceland.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will make one enforced change with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan suspended after accumulating five bookings this season. Striker Sergio Aguero missed the 2-2 draw against Newcastle and is sidelined for the trip to Turf Moor, as well as Saturday’s Manchester derby. Guardiola is likely to stick in defence, explaining his central pairing of Fernandinho and John Stones, with Nicolas Otamendi on the bench.
Burnley have won just one of their 10 Premier League meetings with Manchester City (D3 L6), beating them 1-0 at Turf Moor in March 2015. None of Burnley’s last 14 Premier League home games have ended in a draw, with the Clarets winning seven and losing seven. Manchester City are winless in their last two Premier League away games (1-3 vs Liverpool and 2-2 vs Newcastle). Only once under Pep Guardiola have they gone three without a win on the road (February 2018), with the third game in this run coming at Burnley and including a loss at Liverpool. City have conceded at least two goals in their last two away league games – they’ve not conceded 2+ goals in three consecutive away games since a run of four in April 2011. Since Burnley were last promoted to the Premier League in 2016, City have won five league games against them – the injured Sergio Aguero scored what proved to the winning goal in all five of those games. Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in more Premier League goals than any other Manchester City player this season (13 – 4 goals, 9 assists). The Belgian is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since October 2015.
Upcoming Premier League fixtures
Wednesday, 04-12-2019
-Leicester City vs Watford @10:30pm
-Man United vs Tottenham Hotspur @10:30pm
-Wolves vs West Ham United @10:30pm
-Chelsea vs Aston Villa @10:30pm
-Southampton vs Norwich City @10:30pm
-Liverpool vs Everton @11:15pm
Thursday, 04-12-2019
-Sheffield United vs Newcastle United @10:30pm
-Arsenal vs Brighton @11:15pm
