Patrick Vieira has made five changes to his Crystal Palace starting XI for their Premier League clash with Newcastle United this evening at St James' Park.
The Eagles will be hoping to return to winning ways tonight having lost their last two matches, most recently falling to a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final. Vieira sprung a surprise on Thomas Tuchel and Palace fans by opting for a 5-3-2 formation in that game, though this evening he seems to have reverted to the 4-3-3 that has served the Eagles well so far this season.
In goal, Vicente Guaita makes his expected return between the sticks for Jack Butland, who was given the nod against the Blues after appearing in each of Palace's five FA Cup games this season. Ahead of Guaita, Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen are together at the back once again after being joined in central defence by Cheikhou Kouyate last time out.
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Tyrick Mitchell keeps his place in the starting XI meanwhile at left-back, while Joel Ward drops to the bench in favour of Nathaniel Clyne on the right side. Clyne had started the previous seven league matches ahead of the injured Ward but his good form was not rewarded with a starting spot at Wembley. He now returns to the defence for tonight's clash with the Magpies.
In midfield, Kouyate returns at the base of the three just behind Jeffrey Schlupp and the returning Conor Gallagher. The 22-year-old had to sit out of the Chelsea game due to being ineligible to face his parent club but is now restored to the starting XI tonight. Ebere Eze played the full 90 minutes in Gallagher's position at Wembley though he starts tonight's game on the bench alongside James McArthur.
Wilfried Zaha lines up on the left-wing meanwhile, with Odsonne Edouard making his first Premier League start since Brentford away in February. Michael Olise, who came off the bench on Sunday after recovering from a foot injury, is back in the starting XI and looks set to take up the right-wing position where he'll come up against the in-form Matt Targett.
Both Christian Benteke and Jean-Philippe Mateta start on the bench together yet again, with the latter now having started just one of Palace's last ten Premier League matches. Club captain Luka Milivojevic misses out with injury, leaving McArthur and Eze as the only central midfielders on the bench.
Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Mitchell, Guehi, Andersen, Clyne, Kouyate, Schlupp, Gallagher, Zaha, Edouard, Olise.
Subs: Butland, Ward, Tomkins, Hughes, McArthur, Eze, Ayew, Mateta, Benteke.
