Leeds United sit just three points above the relegation zone and will be desperate for a result when they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Back-to-back home defeats to Manchester City and Sunderland have chipped away at what once looked like a comfortable cushion, dragging Leeds back into the thick of the relegation fight.
With West Ham picking up form and Nottingham Forest beginning to show signs of life, Daniel Farke’s side know a positive result on Sunday could be crucial to staying out of the bottom three.
Crystal Palace could be physically weary after their European adventure on Thursday night, but they have received a major boost with the return of a key player.
Jean-Philippe Mateta returns to the Crystal Palace team ahead of the Leeds clash
Mateta has not played since the end of January due to a knee injury, which also scuppered a move to AC Milan in the winter transfer window.
Palace signed Jorgen Strand Larsen as his replacement in January, and there were suggestions that the Frenchman would never play for Palace again.
However, he is again fit to play and returned to the Palace team on Thursday night against AEK Larnaca, when he came on as a 77th-minute substitute for Strand Larsen.
The Frenchman was one of the best strikers in the Premier League before his knee injury and his controversial attempt to leave Palace in the winter window.
His return has come as a timely boost for Oliver Glasner, who has seen his Palace squad get stretched this season due to their European commitments.
Palace are unlikely to get sucked into the relegation zone, and the Palace boss now has the chance to rotate his strikers as he looks to win the European Conference League this season.
He can start against the Whites
After back-to-back defeats in the league, Leeds need a result at Crystal Palace to release some of the pressure on the team towards the end of the season.
The Whites hope that Glasner will rotate his squad as the Europa Conference League tie against AEK Larnaca is in the balance after the 0-0 result on Thursday night.
He may choose to give a few key players a rest, which could hand Leeds a chance to get a result at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Jean-Philippe Mateta – Crystal Palace Season Stats
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches | 35 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Minutes Played | 2,720 |
Mateta’s return is a major boost for Glasner, as it gives him the option to rest Strand Larsen against Leeds without worrying about a drop in quality up front.
The Frenchman is a more proven striker in the Premier League, and he could easily start against Leeds this weekend.
