match preview: crystal palace
8pm 25th April 2022 @ Selhurst Park
By James Hull
A late rearrangement for the benefit of TV sees the Whites head into darkest South London for the latest installment in Operation Avoid Relegation. 16 days will have passed since that priceless win at Watford and the other teams in the danger zone will all have played more by the time this fixture kicks off. Will Burnley's slight upturn in fortunes continue at home to Wolves, and can Everton get anything against their imperious neighbours at Anfield?
Talismanic midfielder Kalvin Phillips is "100%" ready to start, which is a good job since Adam Forshaw has succumbed to severe knee knack and will miss the remainder of the season. Bamford is yet to train again on grass and Firpo is still recovering but otherwise a rested squad should be in a good moment given form and time for recovery. Gelhardt and Greenwood were both rested from the under 23s match on Friday which suggests a role for one or both on Monday.
Jesse Marsch comes up against a former rival New York manager again, having previously had run-ins around the "derby" between his Red Bulls and Patrick Viera's New York City. I think Marsch quite likes a bit of rivalry and spikiness, given how he says he finds the general chuminess of the Premier League's managers a bit perplexing.
Viera has managed to turn a team that looked to many observers to be relegation fodder at the start of the season into an attractive attacking outfit that is comfortable in the league had enjoyed a nice day out losing the FA Cup semi final on Sunday. It's to be hoped that the lack of anything further to play for means Leeds will have a slight edge in motivation and aggression on the night.
Dangers for Leeds lie in the style of football and quality out wide for Palace - they have good attackers in Zaha, Olise and Eze who can cause trouble on the flanks, where Marsch's narrow formation have struggled to contain teams from creating chances. If the wide threat can be overcome and the Leeds press functions well though then I expect a decent number of chances for Leeds.
Overall I'm expecting an open game with lots of chances created in transition as Leeds are happier than under Bielsa to give up possession in attack in the hope of winning it back quickly and countering. With Harrison in a good spell of form, Rodrigo a man reborn and Raphinha in a better mood we should have goals in us. In the reverse fixture a late penalty won all three points and a very rare clean sheet for Leeds, but I'm expecting a score draw on Monday.