Crystal Palace v Watford: Team news, predictions & odds

The game kicks off at 1500 GMT at Selhurst Park.

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Crystal Palace v Watford: Team news 

Crystal Palace will be without Patrick van Aanholt for Saturday's Premier League visit of Watford.

The full-back is recovering from an ankle injury and manager Sam Allardyce has revealed the Hornets clash will come too soon.

Loanee Loic Remy is expected to return after the international break while Connor Wickham and Pape Souare are still missing. 

Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue may miss out because of illness.

Capoue, who has started every Premier League game for the Hornets so far this season, missed training on Wednesday and Thursday due to a fever and he will be assessed on Friday.

Right-back Daryl Janmaat (groin) and midfielder Nordin Amrabat (ankle) are back in contention - Amrabat for the first time since New Year's Day - but Christian Kabasele and Ben Watson are still not fit.

Teams

Crystal Palace (from): Hennessey, Mandanda, Speroni, Ward, Kelly, Tomkins, Delaney, Sakho, Dann, Fryers, McArthur, Milivojevic, Ledley, Townsend, Kaikai, Cabaye, Zaha, Sako, Campbell, Schlupp, Lee, C Benteke. 

Watford (from): Gomes, Pantilimon, Britos, Kaboul, Prodl, Mariappa, Cathcart, Zuniga, Janmaat, Holebas, Cleverley, Behrami, Amrabat, Doucoure, Capoue, Deeney, Success, Niang, Okaka. 

Crystal Palace v Watford: Manager quotes   

Sam Allardyce (Crystal Palace)

On Palace's improved defence: "I think two people on this front, Luka (Milivojevic) & Mama (Sakho) have given us more defensive resilience.

"We are more defensive in terms of the capabilities of looking after the opposition's attacking forces have been improved by those two players and Patrick (van Aanholt).

"We have found that we are more difficult to score against which has been one of my first aims, my first targets ever since I first came here.

"Once we began to do that we began to win football matches and three wins out of five have all come because we can keep clean sheets so the basis of our defensive unit has grown and got better and that has been a good way forward for us to get out of the trouble we are in.

"Mama has played a big part in that, as have Luka and Patrick, and the whole team as a whole are defending better." 

On trying to keep Mamadou Sakho: "It would be a big negotiation at the end of the season if we were to stay in the Premier League.

"At this moment in time Mama has chosen crystal Palace to play first-team football, I think he has settled into the environment exceptionally well.

"He has worked extremely hard at getting himself fitter because he had not played a competitive game all season and he has shown what a good defender he is, and his capabilities on the ball - in possession he has been exceptionally good." 

Walter Mazzarri (Watford)

On Watford's break from action: "It is not often that you only have two games in such a long period and these 15 days have only been a benefit for us.

"We have improved some of the details and the small things that we needed to improve, which is important for the future and the remaining games.

"I want to make them understand the mentality they need every game and I think in the past fortnight, it helped because we had the whole group together and we were able to speak about this.

"We have 11 games left and I think the team will produce the performances I want in these 11 games." 

On trying to repeat the perf0rmance from the win against Arsenal: "I want my team to play the next 11 games, and not just because of the result, in the same way as we played against Arsenal.

"I want the same performance and spirit and if we play like this in the next 11 games then we can push on.

"We have had great games against Arsenal and Burnley and after them we lowered our performance, which we can't let happen." 

On Crystal Palace: "Palace are one of those teams that, when you look at their squad, nobody thought when we started they would have fought relegation.

"The game will be decided by individuals. In order to have a positive outcome my players have to come to the pitch with their legs and their heads in perfect condition.

"They are on a good run, are in good form and are in good condition. We will play them in their best moment as they come from two positive results. They've got an important fan base so it won't be easy.

"We go to the pitch knowing we cannot commit any mistakes. We have to go there and give everything in order to come out with a positive outcome.

"From now, all games will be extremely difficult and different from the first half of the season. They will all be battles, they will all be finals." 

On injuries: "(Etienne) Capoue has had a fever for two days and hasn't been training so we will check tomorrow. 

"Only Christian Kabasele, Ben Watson, Roberto Pereyra and Mauro Zarate are not training so if nothing else happens, we should have the rest available." 

Crystal Palace v Watford: Our prediction 

Our David John writes...  the services of both teams have not been required for a fortnight with no involvement in the FA Cup and Palace will look to boost their quest for survival with a third straight success following a short break to recharge in Morocco. 

An edgy 1-0 success over Middlesbrough got the monkey off their back to a certain extent after some poor displays in front of their own fans but they were far more convincing at West Brom as flair players like Wilfrid Zaha and Andros Townsend really shone with a goal apiece.

The arrival of Mamadou Sakho to help shore up the centre of defence has been another positive and two clean sheets are probably not a surprise thanks to his calming influence in a unit that has come up with its fair share of howlers all season.

The bookmakers feel they have seen enough from the Eagles to justify an odds-on quote for victory but I am not entirely convinced even against a team that has lost two out of their last three.

The Hornets possess a threat and have goals in them although manager Walter Mazzarri will not have been overly impressed with the way they gave Southampton a helping hand along the way in a 4-3 reverse at Vicarage Road a fortnight ago. 

They will have stewed on that during the intervening period but that is also an excellent spell of time to get some things ironed out defensively – that means you in particular, Sebastian Prodl. 

I am not going to have a bet here but I think these are two teams more evenly matched than the betting suggests and the visitors are capable of claiming a share of the spoils. 

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Watford 

Crystal Palace v Watford: Sky Bet odds

Crystal Palace are Sky Bet’s 10/11 favourites for the victory with Watford 16/5 and another draw between the two sides is priced at 12/5. The Eagles head into the weekend fourth in the relegation betting at 7/4 while Walter Mazzarri’s men are 12/1 shots. Christian Benteke heads the first goalscorer betting at 7/2 with Troy Deeney considered the visitors’ main threat at 15/2, while the strike duo are 7/1 to both find the net.   

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Crystal Palace v Watford: Opta facts 

Crystal Palace have scored in each of their last 13 encounters with Watford in all competitions, including all three previous Premier League meetings (W8 D3 L2). 

Watford have won their last two trips to Selhurst Park, after a run of three successive defeats (3-2 in August 2012 and 2-1 in February 2016). 

Watford have suffered 43 league defeats against Crystal Palace – only versus QPR (48) have they lost more in league competition. 

Troy Deeney has scored four goals in his last three appearances against Crystal Palace in all competitions. 

Deeney has scored more goals in his last six Premier League appearances (5) than he had in his previous 21 (4) in the competition this season. 

The Eagles have won more points in their last two Premier League games (6) than they had in their previous eight league matches under Sam Allardyce (4). 

Watford have won both of their Premier League away games in London this season (4-2 at West Ham and 2-1 at Arsenal). They had only won two of their 16 PL away games in London before 2016-17 (W2 D3 L11). 

If Watford win this match then they will have won the joint-most Premier League away games in London this season alongside Liverpool (3). 

Christian Benteke has scored against 22 different teams during his Premier League career but is yet to score in three league appearances against Watford. He missed a penalty in the fixture at Vicarage Road back in December. 

Wilfried Zaha has attempted a dribble on 197 occasions this season in the Premier League; more than any other player. However, he’s failed to beat his opponent with 100 of these (51%). 

Only Sunderland (31) have used more players this season in Premier League than both Crystal Palace and Watford (30).