Palace v Colchester United

Selhurst Park, Saturday 3.00pm

Story so far

After achieving promotion from League One last season, few would have expected Colchester to be flying as high as they are. They are sitting in 10th place - only four points from a play-off spot where it would have been more realistic expecting to see them sitting 4 points from a relegation spot.

Phil Parkinson dragged Colchester to the Championship but soon departed to Hull, who were managerless after losing Peter Taylor. Parkinson didn't have a great return to layer road when Hull were destroyed 5-1 by Colchester.

Geraint Williams is the man behind Colchester's current success after being appointed in the summer.

Team news

Peter Taylor is likely to make one change from last weekend'd 3-0 home win over QPR.

Matt Lawrence is set to replace the injured Danny Butterfield at right-back after Butterfield went off with a groin strain before the break.

Defender Leon Cort is still sidelined with his hamstring injury. Keeper Gabor Kiraly has returned from his two-week loan at West Ham and will sit out on the bench.

Dougie Freedman with Shefki Kuqi are set to keep their places in attack after linking up well against QPR. Jamie Scowcroft is back from suspension, but will miss out.

Colchester's Marino Keith (Achilles) won't play, but keeper Aidan Davison and Chris Barker have recovered from injury.

Quotes

Taylor "Our players have a lot of respect for Colchester," he said.

"They have had some excellent results this season and they are a team who I am sure will be enjoying the Championship. They are working exceptionally hard and will be tough to play against.

"They are a big threat and will be getting the maximum respect from us."

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Colchester United - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
10th	21	9	4	8	31

Full league table

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Colchester United - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
5	2	1	2	9	7

Full form table

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Our home record v Colchester United

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
14	5	5	4	21	18

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Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
24/08/1999	League Cup	Crystal Palace	3 - 1	Colchester United
10/08/1999	League Cup	Colchester United	2 - 2	Crystal Palace
10/01/1976	League	Colchester United	0 - 3	Crystal Palace
30/08/1975	League	Crystal Palace	3 - 2	Colchester United
25/08/1975	League Cup	Colchester United	3 - 1	Crystal Palace

All time results

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One to watch

Jamie Cureton

The last time that Cureton enjoyed a goalscoring spell like that of this season, he was plying his trade for Reading - that was five years ago when they were still in Division 2.

He's an intelligent front man that can link up play and set up others - his recent goalscoring isn't to be scoffed at either.

Probable line-up

	Kuqi	Freedman
McAnuff	Hughes	Watson	Soares
Granville	Hudson	Ward	Lawrence
Turner

Ref watch

R L Lewis

Last meeting

Palace 3-1 Colchester

League Cup - Round 1 second leg

Palace: Digby, Austin, Woozley, Harris, Smith, Thomson, Rodger (Rizzo 59), Frampton, Bradbury, Svensson (Carlisle ,23), Morrison. Subs not used:Linighan, Gregg, Hibburt.

Scorers: Palace - Smith 18, Morrison 37, Rizzo 87; Colchester - Keith 75.

Attendance: 5,471.

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