Crystal Palace 0-0 Bournemouth
KICK OFF! We are off at Selhurst Park as Bournemouth get us underway.
Palace are in dire need of a bounce back after two heavy defeats in their last two, while Bournemouth are fighting for Europe.
This should be a good one. Game on!
Here come the players
Crystal Palace and Bournemouth make their way out on to a sunny Selhurst Park pitch. Both teams in need of a win here. Let's hope they serve up some good entertainment on this Easter weekend. Kick-off around the corner. Stick with us.
How the teams line up
Today's match officials
Referee: Samuel Barrott
Fourth official: Andy Davies
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Craig Taylor
The race for Europe explained
The top five teams in the Premier League are guaranteed to qualify for the Champions League.
Sixth will go into the Europa League with the team that wins the FA Cup - unless they have already qualified through the league.
Live Premier League table
In that event, seventh will also qualify for the Europa League and eighth will go into the Conference League.
So, if Crystal Palace win the FA Cup they could deny Bournemouth, currently eighth, European qualification.
Bogey team?
After winning five consecutive Premier League games against Bournemouth between May 2019 and May 2023, Crystal Palace have now failed to win or even score in their last three against the Cherries (D1 L2).
Last time out for Crystal Palace
It's been a punishing week for Crystal Palace as they lost heavily at Manchester City and Newcastle.
They shipped four goals in the first half alone at St James' Park before going on to lose 5-0. Eberechi Eze had a moment to forget too.
Watch it all back here with our free highlights.
Can Selhurst return Palace to winning ways?
Crystal Palace have won each of their last three home Premier League matches, with their only run of four home wins in a row in the competition coming in April/May last season.
Last time out for Bournemouth
It was a big win for Andoni Iraola's side on Monday night as they reignited their push for Europe by beating Fulham.
Watch the game back with our free highlights below.
Bad omen for Bournemouth?
Bournemouth are winless in their last 10 Premier League games in London (D5 L5) since a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace back in December 2023.
Each of their last four games in the capital have all ended 2-2 in draws against Fulham, Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham this season.
How the teams are expected to line up
Both bosses go creative in midfield
Sky Sports' Zinny Boswell:
"Oliver Glasner went for energy in midfield at Newcastle to cope with their impressive trio in the heart of the pitch and lost control of the game at St James' Park.
"The Palace boss has decided to bring Adam Wharton back in today, prioritising his creativity and passing control in midfield over the legs and combativeness of Jefferson Lerma.
"Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth boss, is on the same page, it seems. Justin Kluivert is back in, but Alex Scott keeps his place at the expense of Lewis Cook in midfield.
"Even if he is allowed to play further up, there will be more of a demand on Scott defensively this afternoon without the legs of Cook to support Tyler Adams.
"That indicates Bournemouth, like Palace, want to be positive in this game. Let's hope it makes for a great spectacle."
Kluivert back for Bournemouth
Justin Kluivert starting for Bournemouth is the headline team news coming out of Selhurst Park.
The attacking midfielder had missed the last three games through injury.
Kluivert replaces Lewis Cook as one of two changes from Andoni Iraola, who looks set to play Alex Scott in a deeper midfield role.
Ilya Zabarnyi has also come in for Marcos Senesi in the heart of defence.
Wharton restored to Palace line-up
Adam Wharton was taken out of the Crystal Palace line-up in midweek at Newcastle, but he is back in from the start today.
That is the only change made by Oliver Glasner despite the heavy defeat at St James' Park.
Jefferson Lerma drops to the bench for Wharton.
Bournemouth team news
Bournemouth: Kepa, Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Adams, Scott, Ouattara, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson.
Subs: Dennis, Cook, Senesi, Brooks, Tavernier, Soler, Jebbison, J.Araujo, Hill.
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Crystal Palace team news
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Mitchell, Wharton, Hughes, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.
Subs: Turner, Lerma, Nketiah, Franca, Clyne, Kamada, Esse, Chilwell, Devenny.
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Early Bournemouth team news
Justin Kluivert is expected to return for Bournemouth after missing three games through injury.
But fellow forward Luis Sinisterra is not yet available.
Early Crystal Palace team news
Jean-Philippe Mateta is set to start for Crystal Palace despite Oliver Glasner hooking him early over the last two games.
The Palace boss says it is a matter of Mateta recovering his rhythm after the ear laceration he suffered against Millwall.
Glasner has no new injury concerns, but could well restore Adam Wharton to the midfield after taking him out of the team at Newcastle.
Good afternoon!
Welcome along to Sky Sports' digital coverage of Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Palace are in need of a boost after suffering two heavy defeats back-to-back at Man City and Newcastle.
Selhurst Park hasn't always brought the best out of Oliver Glasner's side this season, but perhaps a return to home comforts can get them back on track.
Bournemouth won't make life easy for Palace, though. They restored some confidence with a win over Fulham on Monday night that put them back in the mix for Europe.
As it stands, unless Palace win the FA Cup, Bournemouth will secure UEFA Conference League qualification as the eighth-placed team in the league.
But there is plenty of competition for that spot, with Fulham and Brighton tied on points with the Cherries, who are ahead with a superior goal difference with six games to go.
Every game is huge from here! Stick with us for team news in 15 minutes, then live updates and analysis from Selhurst Park.
Iraola supports Eze after penalty miss
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola showed support to Eberechi Eze after his penalty miss in Crystal Palace's 5-0 Premier League collapse to Newcastle in the week.
Iraola's Bournemouth travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday where they face a Palace side who have conceded 10 goals in their last two matches.
England international Eze had a chance to draw the Eagles level at St James' Park on Wednesday, but after a stuttering run-up his spot-kick trickled into the hands of Nick Pope.
"I think Eberechi Eze is so good, what can you tell him?" Iraola said on Friday when asked if manager's should give penalty takers advice.
"He's scored penalties before and has been amazing for Palace for a long time, he's a top-level player and it's not going to affect his performance at all."
Palace were 2-0 up at the Etihad against Manchester City last week before they conceded five unanswered goals to end their eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
After another heavy defeat at Newcastle, Oliver Glasner's side will want to bounce back against a Cherries outfit who they shared a 0-0 stalemate with in December.
"Every goal will be huge. Whoever scores first it will be very important," Iraola added.
"I think it's not easy to make the difference, I hope we can stay competitive and get a result.
"With the way they play I think it is now very familiar for them, they want to control the games very well, they don't concede a lot, they are always organised and it is not easy to have chances against them, obviously they have individual players who can make the difference.
"I think that they're showing this season after a difficult start they have been very solid and consistently playing well and it will be a very difficult game for us we know."