Patrick Vieira has made one change to his Crystal Palace starting XI for this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium.
The Eagles are hoping for a first win since early April on the south coast following defeats to Leicester, Chelsea and Newcastle and a goalless draw with Leeds. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints meanwhile drew with Brighton last time out after losing to Burnley.
Vieira’s big change to his team sees Wilfried Zaha drop out of the starting XI for the returning Jeffrey Schlupp.
READ MORE: Southampton vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Kick-off time, confirmed team news, goal and score updates
In goal, Vicente Guaita returns ahead of first-choice centre-backs Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen. The pair have impressed together at the heart of the Palace defence since arriving in the summer from Chelsea and Lyon respectively and both have rightly been in the running for the club’s player of the season award.
Tyrick Mitchell is back in the matchday squad meanwhile after missing out on the home clash with Leeds on Monday night with an injury. He has not been risked straight away, however, with Nathaniel Clyne (right) and Joel Ward (left) continuing at full-back after impressing against the Whites.
In midfield, James McArthur follows up his 90 minutes last time out with another start here. The Scotsman seems to have extended his stay in SE25 beyond the end of the current season, with Vieria praising the experienced midfielder during his pre-match press conference on Friday for what he brings to the Eagles’ young side.
Schlupp starts in front of him alongside Conor Gallagher at St Mary’s. Eberechi Eze makes his third Premier League start of the season playing on the wing and, in Zaha's absence, will be tasked with linking midfield and attack and pushing his side towards the Southampton goal by operating between the lines.
Eze starts on the left side while Jordan Ayew starts on the right. Jean-Philippe Mateta starts up front meanwhile, with the Frenchman currently Vieira’s favourite option ahead of Odsonne Edouard and Christian Benteke.
Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Ward, McArthur, Schlupp, Gallagher, Eze, Ayew, Mateta.
Substitutes: Butland, Kelly, Mitchell, Kouyate, Hughes, Olise, Zaha, Benteke, Edouard.
