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Football London
Football London
Sport
Mark Wyatt

Crystal Palace team news vs Watford as Patrick Vieira makes Michael Olise decision

Patrick Vieira has made four changes to his Crystal Palace starting XI for their away match against Watford in the Premier League this evening.

The Eagles are hoping to secure their first league win of the year at Vicarage Road and have named a strong team to help them do so.

Vieira has reverted back to his familiar 4-3-3 system for tonight’s game after switching to a more compact 4-2-3-1 in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday afternoon.

Jack Butland starts in goal ahead of Vicente Guaita after the Spanish keeper needed to be substituted at half-time against the Blues with an injury.

In defence, Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen start again as the preferred centre-back pairing with Martin Kelly available off the substitute's bench.

With Joel Ward confirmed to be out injured for tonight’s game, Nathaniel Clyne comes back into the starting XI as he did against Chelsea to start at right-back.

On the opposite flank, Tyrick Mitchell keeps his place on the left side and will be tasked with helping break down the Hornets' defence by providing width.

With one eye on Saturday’s big match against Burnley in mind, Cheikhou Kouyate has been left out of today’s starting XI in midfield, having completed 90 minutes against Chelsea on the weekend.

Instead, James McArthur, Will Hughes and Conor Gallagher make up the midfield three, with the latter two both back in the team having not featured against the Blues.

Wilfried Zaha looks set to return to the left-wing as part of Vieira’s forward three. The Ivorian was deployed as a central striker last time out.

Jean-Philippe Mateta takes that gig this evening, with both Christian Benteke and Odsonne Edouard named on the bench.

On the other side, Michael Olise is starting on the wing ahead of Jordan Ayew, who starts on the bench. Olise played in central attacking midfield on the weekend but will be tasked with impacting the game from out wide tonight.

Crystal Palace XI: Butland, Mitchell, Andersen, Guehi, Clyne, Kouyate, Hughes, Gallagher, Zaha, Mateta, Olise.

Substitutes: Matthews, Kelly, Milivojevic, Schlupp , McArthur, Eze, Ayew, Benteke, Edouard.

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