Palace v Sheffield United

Selhurst Park, Saturday 3.00pm

Alex Marrow

Team news

Palace new boy Kagisho Dikgacoi is set to make his debut after joining on loan until the end of the season from Fulham.

The midfielder will take up the holding role as fellow anchorman Alex Marrow's chances of being fit is rated as "60-40". Neil Danns has returned to training after resting a back strain and should make the bench.

Nathaniel Clyne has a knee injury and may have to sit the game out, while Lee Hills is still sidelined with his knee problem.

Sheffield Utd defenders Chris Morgan, Andy Taylor and Ryan France, goalkeeper Richard Wright, striker Darius Henderson and midfielder Nick Montgomery are missing. Richard Cresswell (knee) and Ched Evans (knee) are doubts, while full-back Rob Kozluk is banned.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

"It is a big game but it is a big game for them as well. They need to come here and not be beaten. We just need to keep playing the way we are playing and keep a clean sheet as I really am confident we have enough up top to score. It is a game we are all looking forward to.

"Alex and Neil are big doubts for us and we will have to check on them tomorrow. It is the same ankle that was troubling Alex before, it is a little bit of rubbing against the bone that seems to flare up when he plays a couple of games. We are just trying to take Nathaniel game by game at the minute. He is not really training at all at the moment."

Paddy McCarthy

"We know if we nick one goal that should be enough to get the win and with the players we've got up front now we should be able to get that goal. That's what we'll be aiming for again against Sheffield United.

"As a player you always want to play in these big games. If we're being honest we would have hoped that the big games were competing with the teams at the other end of the table but this is the situation we're in and we need to deal with it now. There's no doubt it's a massive game and one we're all looking forward to as a team."

Johnny Ertl

"I had a great time and I am still in contact with some of the players so it means a lot for me to come back to Selhurst Park because I had one of the greatest times in football in my career. The fans were great to me and that is a big reason why I have such respect for the club.

"For me, the best thing would be to get a good result at Selhurst Park but for both teams to stay up. But it’s a big, big game coming up on Saturday and have to make sure we are spot on in this game against Palace.

"We’re now two games unbeaten and I think if we can make ourselves a team that is hard to beat then that will be the key for the rest of the season. There are 15 games left and we’ve got to get out of it."

Micky Adams

"Once again injuries and illness have messed our preparations up and that is the one thing about this place that is driving me mad.

"We can't prepare properly at all for anything. There's either an illness or an injury, so until we've got a settled unit, we've got no chance."

Sheffield United - league stats

Full league table

Sheffield United - current form

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
20/11/2010	League	Sheffield United	3 - 2	Crystal Palace
06/03/2010	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 0	Sheffield United
12/12/2009	League	Sheffield United	2 - 0	Crystal Palace
03/05/2009	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 0	Sheffield United
20/12/2008	League	Sheffield United	2 - 2	Crystal Palace

All time results

Last meeting

Sheffield United 3-2 Palace

Saturday November 20 2010

Sheffield United: Simonsen, Jordan, Calve (Lowton, 81), Nosworthy, Bartley, Yeates, Britton, Montgomery, Reid, Cresswell (Bogdanovic, 66 (sent off 90)), Evans

Subs not used: Wright, Kozluk, Taylor, Quinn, Ertl

Goals: Cresswell 39 (pen), Evans 85, Bogdanovic 87 (pen)

Bookings: Britton

Sent off: Bogdanovic (90)

Palace: Speroni, Wright, McCarthy (O'Keefe, 51 (Counago, 89)), Davis, Clyne, Danns, Garvan (sent off 37), Marrow, N'Diaye, Vaughan, Zaha

Subs not used: Price, Dorman, Djilali, Obika, Cadogan

Goals: Danns 18 (pen), Vaughan 63

Bookings: Clyne, Garvan

Sent off: Garvin (37)

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