Crystal Palace Vs Leicester

As the 2024-25 Premier League campaign progresses, two clubs in desperate search of their first win of the season will clash at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon: Crystal Palace and Leicester City. Both teams have struggled to find form early in the season, managing to collect just one point each from their opening three matches. While their Premier League campaigns have faltered, they’ve found some solace in the EFL Cup, where both sides recorded emphatic victories. Nevertheless, the pressure is mounting on both teams to turn their fortunes around in the league.

Match Preview

Both Crystal Palace and Leicester City enter this fixture having endured disappointing starts to the season, with neither side managing to secure a win in their first three Premier League games. Despite notable talent within both squads, their early-season performances have left much to be desired. This match, therefore, presents a crucial opportunity for both teams to kickstart their seasons and climb out of the lower reaches of the Premier League table.

Crystal Palace’s Early Struggles

The 2024-25 season has not gone as planned for Crystal Palace, who were hoping to build on their mid-table finish last year. Led by manager Oliver Glasner, the Eagles have plenty of talent at their disposal. Despite the summer transfer window seeing the departure of Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, Palace managed to retain key players like Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi. Additionally, Jean-Philippe Mateta has been in fine form, carrying his goalscoring prowess into the Olympics, while new signing Adam Wharton has shown flashes of brilliance in midfield. On paper, this looked like a squad capable of challenging for a top-half finish.

However, the reality on the pitch has been different. Palace began the new season with back-to-back defeats against Brentford and West Ham United, both of which exposed frailties in their defense and a lack of cohesion in attack. These early losses raised concerns about the team’s ability to compete at the top level, as they struggled to create chances and were easily undone by defensive lapses.

The Eagles did manage to lift their spirits somewhat with a commanding 4-0 victory over Norwich City in the second round of the EFL Cup. The win offered a glimpse of what this team is capable of when firing on all cylinders, as they dominated the match from start to finish. Goals from multiple sources helped to ease the pressure on Glasner, but the question remained whether Palace could carry this momentum into the Premier League.

Their subsequent Premier League outing provided some answers. Facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a team fresh off a 6-0 thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Palace showed resilience and determination to earn a valuable point. Eze’s goal canceled out Nicolas Jackson’s opener, securing a 1-1 draw and offering some much-needed relief for Glasner’s side. That point moved Palace up to 16th place in the table, hovering just above the relegation zone.

Despite the encouraging result at Stamford Bridge, Palace fans remain concerned about their team’s slow start. The Eagles have yet to win a Premier League match this season, and a worrying trend has emerged under Glasner’s management: when Palace concede first, they struggle to recover. In the seven Premier League matches under Glasner where they’ve gone behind, Palace have failed to win, drawing two and losing five. This inability to fight back from losing positions is a troubling sign and one that Glasner will be keen to address.

The international break in early September may have come at the perfect time for Palace. The team now has an opportunity to regroup, reassess their tactics, and work on building the chemistry that has been lacking in their performances so far. The upcoming match against Leicester City presents a chance for Palace to secure their first Premier League win of the season and move further away from the relegation zone.

Leicester City’s Parallel Struggles

Leicester City’s story at the start of the 2024-25 season is remarkably similar to that of their upcoming opponents. Like Crystal Palace, the Foxes have only managed to collect one point from their first three Premier League matches, while finding solace in a dominant 4-0 victory in the EFL Cup. Their season began with a promising draw against Tottenham Hotspur, but subsequent defeats to Fulham and Aston Villa have left Steve Cooper’s side languishing near the bottom of the table.

Leicester’s campaign opened with a commendable 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at the King Power Stadium. Facundo Buonanotte’s performance in that match stood out, as the young forward played a pivotal role in the Foxes’ attacking play. However, despite their positive start, Leicester failed to build on that result in their following matches.

Their next fixture saw them travel to Craven Cottage, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Fulham. Despite creating several chances, Leicester were unable to break down Fulham’s defense and paid the price for their defensive frailties. The loss was followed by a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa, where once again, Leicester’s inability to keep a clean sheet proved costly. Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran’s goals for Villa left Leicester chasing the game, and while Buonanotte managed to pull one back, it wasn’t enough to salvage a point.

One positive for Leicester so far this season is that they’ve managed to score in every match they’ve played. However, this statistic offers little comfort to Cooper, as his team’s defensive struggles have overshadowed their attacking potential. Leicester have conceded the first goal in all three of their Premier League matches so far, and history does not bode well for the Foxes in this regard. In previous Premier League seasons where they conceded first in their opening four matches, Leicester were relegated.

Another concern for Leicester is their recent record against Crystal Palace. In their last visit to Selhurst Park, the Foxes took the lead but eventually succumbed to a 2-1 defeat, with Mateta scoring a dramatic 90th-minute winner for Palace. That loss was emblematic of Leicester’s struggles to close out games, a problem that continues to plague them this season.

Despite these challenges, Leicester will be hopeful that their attacking players can provide a spark against a vulnerable Palace defense. Buonanotte, in particular, has been one of the Foxes’ standout performers this season, and his creativity and ability to score goals will be crucial if Leicester are to secure a positive result on Saturday.

Tactical Battle

The matchup between Crystal Palace and Leicester City promises to be an intriguing tactical battle, with both teams eager to avoid another defeat and claim their first win of the season. Glasner and Cooper will need to carefully consider their approach to this game, as the outcome could have significant implications for their teams’ prospects moving forward.

For Crystal Palace, much will depend on the performance of Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder has been one of the Eagles’ most influential players in recent seasons, and his ability to create chances and score goals makes him a constant threat to opposition defenses. Eze’s vision, dribbling ability, and eye for goal could be key to unlocking Leicester’s defense, which has looked vulnerable in their first three games.

In addition to Eze, Palace will look to Mateta to provide the cutting edge in attack. The French striker has shown his goalscoring instincts in recent weeks, and his physical presence and aerial ability make him a handful for any defense. Mateta’s movement and finishing will be crucial if Palace are to break down Leicester’s backline.

On the other hand, Leicester’s hopes will rest on the shoulders of Buonanotte. The Argentine forward has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing start to the season for the Foxes, and his pace, skill, and finishing ability make him a dangerous weapon in attack. Buonanotte’s link-up play with Leicester’s other attacking players will be vital as they look to exploit any gaps in Palace’s defense.

Both teams have struggled defensively this season, which could lead to an open and high-scoring encounter. Palace’s backline has looked shaky at times, particularly when dealing with set pieces and crosses, while Leicester have been vulnerable to quick counter-attacks and have struggled to maintain defensive discipline.

Conclusion

As Crystal Palace and Leicester City prepare to face off at Selhurst Park, the stakes could hardly be higher. Both teams are in desperate need of a win to kickstart their Premier League campaigns and move away from the relegation zone. While their performances in the EFL Cup have provided some optimism, their struggles in the league have left much to be desired.

For Palace, the international break may have provided a much-needed opportunity to regroup and address their early-season issues. A win against Leicester could provide Glasner’s side with the momentum they need to turn their season around. Meanwhile, Leicester will be looking to Buonanotte and their other attacking players to inspire a victory and lift them out of the bottom half of the table.