EPL: Crystal Palace v Everton preview

Crystal Palace v Everton preview

Crystal Palace and Everton will battle for a precious three points to get their season moving in the right direction on Saturday.

Crystal Palace go into the game bottom of the Premier League and six points from safety, after becoming the first club in any division to lose the opening seven games of an English league season without scoring.

However, Palace are unbeaten in their last two home games - beating Chelsea 2-1 and drawing 2-2 against West Ham.

Everton are in the midst of their worst start to a season since 2005, having failed to win in 13 Premier League away games since a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace in January.

 

Christian Benteke could return for his first game in seven weeks for Palace, but Ruben Loftus-Cheek looks likely to miss out after picking up a back injury with England during the week.

Patrick van Aanholt is absent with a hamstring injury, and knocks mean Jordon Mutch and Lee Chung-yong will again miss out.

Everton have midfielder Tom Davies and full-back Cuco Martina available again after injury.

Davies has recovered from the minor knock that led to his withdrawal from England's Under-21s squad last week, while Martina is ready to be involved again after suffering concussion and neck pain during the 3-0 Europa League loss in Lyon on November 2.

Caretaker boss David Unsworth has said Morgan Schneiderlin and Kevin Mirallas, who were both left out of the matchday 18 for Everton's last fixture, the 3-2 league win over Watford, are available for selection this time around.