Match of the Week: Crystal Palace v Liverpool

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Liverpool desperately needs three points against Crystal Palace to keep their dream of winning the Premier League alive.


Crystal Palace v Liverpool
Premier League Round 37
Selhurst Park
05-05-2014 @ 20.00 UK









How are the two teams form?

Crystal Palace saw an end to their five consecutive win streak against Manchester City last week, but their impressing late-season form have already saved them another season in the best English company. 

Liverpool, also saw an end to their winning streak when Chelsea took a win at Anfield Road last week, and lost some vital points in the trophy battle.

Historically, Crystal Palace have an overtake against Liverpool with four victories and one draw in the last ten meetings.

What are the probable line-up?

Crystal Palace currently have an injury free squad while Liverpool are without Sebastian Coates and Enrique due to injuries. At the same time, Daniel Sturridge is rated doubtful and Jordan Henderson is out with a ban.

Speroni

Mariappa - Dann - Delaney - Ward

Puncheon - Jedinak - Dikgacoi - Bolasie

Ledley

Jerome
______________________________________________

Suárez - Sturridge

Sterling

Coutinho - Allen

Gerrard

Flanagan - Sakho - Skrtel - Johnson

Mignolet

What to expect from this match?

Liverpool is in need of three points to keep Chelsea away, and should get them against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace are secured another season in the Premier League, and basically have nothing left to play for. The pressure is on Liverpool, but if they are a serious candidate for the trophy, Crystal Palace should not be a problem. Manchester City managed to bring Crystal Palace down within minutes of the match, and the Liverpool attack should be able to cause the same kind of problems to The Eagles defends.

What are the odds?

Crystal Palace to win: 17/2 (Bet365)

Liverpool to win: 2/5 (Paddypower)

Draw: 9/2 (StanJames)


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Friday Five

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It  is Friday and nearly weekend, and that means it is time to look back on this week's football events and highlights.

Tuesday April 8th - Demba Ba sends Chelsea on in the Champions League

They were behind 1-3 before the match, and most experts had already put Chelsea in the grave. However, Chelsea wanted it different and especially Demba Ba tried to convince Mourinho that he is still worth keeping in the squad. However, it was Schürrle who scored the first goal after an assist from David Luiz, and PSG didn't seem to be able to answer back. If it was Zlatan Ibrahimovic missing due to an injury, or the players just thought they could walk the victory home is hard to say. However, with just three minutes to go Ba paid back Mourinho's trust sending Chelsea on to the semifinals.


Wednesday April 9th - Hull name change

He wants it so badly, Assem Allam, to change Hull City to Hull Tigers, despite strong opposition from fans. However, the FA has now - for the second time - decided to decline his proposal meaning that Allam can not protest against the decision. The Egyptian has earlier this year threatened to leave the club if he failed to be granted permission for his name switch. Will the fans finally get rid of their number one target?



Wednesday April 9th - Manchester United are out

After 1-1 at Old Trafford, Manchester United fans were hoping their team could surprise once again at Allianz Arena and send Bayern Munich out in the cold. After a rather boring first half where none of the teams looked as they were there to win - Munich could settle with 0-0 result - things started taking speed in the second half. First Patrice Evra scored a goal of a lifetime giving the fans hopes and believe in a semifinal, but less than two minutes after Mandzukic killed the hope. Manchester kept trying and that opened for first Müller and then Robben to finish off Manchester United's Champions League adventure.

Wednesday April 9th - Barca are also out!

Atletico Madrid's win against Barcelona ended the Catalan's unprecedented run of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League for six consecutive seasons. However, the Barcelona players were outplayed by an Atletico side in great form who deserved the win more than the Catalans did. A player as Lionel Messi was very disappointing and  only ran about 6km - the same as José Manuel Pinto in the goal. Koke gave Atletico the lead after just five minutes, and the Madrilenes kept the lead till the end of the match. Could Atletico win the Champions League this season?

Friday April 11th - Cardiff accuse Crystal Palace of spying

Controversial Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan have written to the Premier League accusing former Head of Recruitment Iain Moody, who is not Sporting Director at Palace of spying. According to Tan, Moody should have used contacts at the club to ascertain the starting line-up before the sides met on Saturday. After the 0-3 loss to the Eagles, Tan wrote to Premier League chief Richard Scudamore demanding an investigation, but the Premier League have told Cardiff to make a formal complaint if they wish to take things further.













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Thursdays Transfer Rumours

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Only twenty days to the opening of the transfer window, and a Danish striker is linked with a move to the Premier League! Here are the Thursday transfer rumours!


Everton are ready to make a move for Icelandic striker Alfred Finnbogason and sell Nikica Jelavic (The Mirror) - Probability: Medium

Chelsea and Manchester are both monitoring Rennes midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko (insidefutbol.com) - Probability: Low

West Ham are poised to make a move for Inter Milan forward Diego Milito (The Mirror) - Probability: Low


Crystal Palace could make a move for Denmark's equivalent to Peter Crouch - Brondby striker Simon Makienok - if they fail to buy the real thing from Stoke (The Mirror) - Probability: Medium


At the same time, Stoke are keeping an eye on Ducth forward Luuk De Jong this January (The Mirror) - Probability: High

Monaco is ready to make a bid for Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany (Express) - Probability: Low

Hull manager Steve Bruge wants to sign Seb Larsson and is eyeing up a £5m swoop for the Sunderland midfielder (Mirror) - Probability: High


Wolfburg midfielder Diego is a Southampton target and has opened the door for a move to St Mary's (The Mirror) - Probability: Medium



Arsenal are closing in on Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann (Metro) - Probability: Low










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Keep an eye on: Kasper Kusk

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  • Name: Kasper Kusk
  • Age: 22 (10-11-1991)
  • Position: Wing
  • Club: Aalborg BK
  • International Caps:
    • Denmark A
      • 4 matches / 0 goals
    • Denmark U21
      • 6 matches / 0 goals
    • Denmark U20
      • 3 matches / 0 goals
    • Danish National League team
      • 2 matches / 0 goals
  • Value: £875.000
His father, Søren Kusk, was not only a player but also manager for Aalborg BK; Now the next generation of the Kusk family is one of the most prominent names in the current squad. This week we keep an eye on AaB's Kasper Kusk.

While many players have been marked as talents from the day the tied their boots for the first time, the story is different for Kusk. Since joining Aalborg as 14-year-old, he had to fight to be a part of the youth teams. As the Chief of Talent development in Aalborg, Poul Erik Andreasen, said to Tipsbladet.dk earlier this year:

"He has been fighting for five-six-seven years, where he often was a reserve. It is a long time to be less physical, slower than the others and a head lower. It is well done, and a great part of the reason why we are so happy to see him make a breakthrough."

Kasper Kusk sees his way to the status as Superliga player and profile in Aalborg as a long process:

“During my youth time wasn’t between the ten of eleven best players in the club, so I was forced to train extra and train by myself to develop some of the skills I was missing. It meant that I had to spend some extra time on the training ground, and it wasn’t the best time of my life, but I believe it has strengthened me and helped me work harder."

But, Kusk managed to breakthrough in Aalborg and found his place as a winger, a position he has been able to keep. The young talent took both the fans and the media with storm scoring eight goals last autumn, but after last season's Christmas break Kusk had problems finding the net. Suddenly he was doubted on against, and especially the media were hard to the starlet. However, Kusk takes the dry scoring period with calmness:

"You learn when sometimes things doesn’t go your way, and there is no doubt I would have loved to score goals last spring, but it wasn’t to be. I think most footballers experience an up and down period, and I have learned from it.”

This season Kusk has, unlike the strikers in Aalborg, managed to find the back of the net scoring seven goals so far. Three of them against Randers two weeks ago adding to his 20 goals in 67 matches for Aalborg. However, the stress that the fans shouldn't expect him to score every time and that it is up to the strikers in the club. That said, he admits that his self-confidence raises every time he sees the ball cross the line.

The current form from Kusk and his teammates has brought them to the top of the Danish Superliga second to FC Midtjylland on the first. While some might consider Aalborg as a contestant for the trophy this season, Kusk is more humble:

“We play well and we have some young players performing on a high level, but there is no doubt there will come some qualified teams from behind who wants to be a part of the top, so we are not the favorites.
“We will do what we can, but there will be hard matches and we will have our problems," Kusk says.

The talent had his debut for the Danish national team against Georgia at Aalborg Stadium, but it is not until this season he has been called up regularly by Morten Olsen. So far he can add four caps to his CV, but if the winger keeps playing his best in Aalborg, he will be a part of the future of the Danish national team.

“The most important is to play well for your club, and then grab the chance when you get it for the national team," Kusk says.

The good play for Aalborg have also opened the eyes for the winger around Europe. During the summer, Kusk was linked with moves to clubs as Anderlecht, Crystal Palace and Lille. Earlier this week, Allan Gaarde, Sport Director in Aalborg admitted that the golden boy might leave in the winter transfer window, but not for any price. Kusk himself is not so sure about leaving Aalborg in January:

“I feel good in Aalborg, and have been in Aalborg my entire life so I could see myself staying here for longer. That said, if the right offer come from an interesting club, then I will consider it.
"But I feel good in Aalborg and it will be interesting to see how far this team can go,” the starlet ends the interview.












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Wilfried Zaha - Englands Messi or Ronaldo?

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Crystal Palace is in possession of a player that all the big clubs in England wants – it seems the fame has sent Wilfried Zaha to the sky.

No doubt, the attacking player, has a talent that many envy, but the latest statement from the new England player, makes you wonder if he is clear in his head. Being interviewed by Sportsmail, Zaha said:
‘Unless I’m looking at Ronaldo or Messi, I’d never look at someone else and think he’s better than me’.

Even though, the talent is not to be mistaken, the words have made many shake their heads. Zaha might be incredible for Crystal Palace, but the Premier League target still has to show that he can deliver in the best leagues in the world, as well as on the international level.

Furthermore, Zaha’s high thinking of himself leads the thoughts onto a certain Dane – Nicklas Bendtner. The Danish striker has always believed that he is better than he actually is. That is probably why he today is benchwarmer in Juventus rather than the top striker he dreamed of becoming.

It seems that more and more young talents have to high thoughts about themselves. I’m not saying that they should not have high hopes for their career, but becoming the world’s best footballer takes more than just  a big mouth.
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