Palace on a hiding to nothing
MISMATCH: SOUTH LONDON CLUB’S FANS FEAR THE WORST
London
The team that cannot stop scoring goals host one who has forgotten what it feels like to see the net bulge when leaders Manchester City face rock-bottom Crystal Palace in the Premier League tomorrow.
Pep Guardiola’s City slickers look the real deal this season and 11 of the 16 league goals they have scored in five Premier League matches arrived in their last two games, either side of a Champions League thrashing of Feyenoord.
A 5-0 romp against supposed title rivals Liverpool was followed by a 6-0 rout of Watford and quite what City will do to a Palace side without any points or goals is giving Palace fans nightmares.
Former England boss Roy Hodgson, who took over from Frank de Boer last week, spoke of a light at the end of the tunnel on Tuesday. An away trip to the Etihad Stadium has probably arrived too early in his reign for Palace to emerge from the gloom.
City’s early-season pace has been matched by Manchester United who joined them at the top with a 4-0 win over misfiring Everton last weekend.
United travel to ninth-placed Southampton tomorrow with striker Romelu Lukaku needing one goal to equal Louis Saha’s record for the most goals scored after six Premier League appearances for United (six).
The weekend action kicks off with a feisty-looking London derby between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Fifth-placed Tottenham will probably be happy to be playing away after three league games without a victory at their temporary Wembley Stadium home.
Champions Chelsea, in third place, travel to a Stoke City while faltering Liverpool have a chance to avenge their midweek League Cup exit at the hands of Leicester City as they go to the King Power Stadium again.
The vultures are circling above Everton manager Ronald Koeman as his third-from-bottom side host Bournemouth.
Everton snapped a four-match losing streak by beating Sunderland 3-0 in the League Cup.
Surprise packages Burnley and Huddersfield clash at Turf Moor in the first top-flight fixture between the clubs since 1971. Newly-promoted Huddersfield are sixth, one place above Burnley.
Sunday’s fixture sees Brighton and Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton up against his former club Newcastle United, while Arsenal host West Bromwich Albion on Monday. –