Palace v Cardiff City

Selhurst Park, Saturday 3.00pm

Crystal Palace (Photo: Andy Roberts)

Team news

Winger Yannick Bolasie sits out the final game of his three-match suspension following his red card at Norwich City.

Paddy McCarthy (groin), Jack Hunt (ankle), Glenn Murray (knee) and Adlene Guedioura (ribs/lung) remain on the sidelines.

Cardiff City's Craig Bellamy has overcome a hamstring problem and Andrew Taylor is fit again after missing the midweek draw at Stoke.

Palace: Speroni, Price, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Mariappa, Moxey, Puncheon, Kebe, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Bannan, O'Keefe, Williams, Gayle, Chamakh, Jerome, Phillips

Cardiff: Marshall, Connolly, Taylor, Caulker, Hudson, Turner, Whittingham, Medel, Cornelius, Campbell, Odemwingie, Brayford, Kim, Smith, Noone, Gunnarsson, Mutch, Cowie, Maynard, Theophile-Catherine, Lewis, Moore, Bellamy, John.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

"If we don't win games, we mustn't lose games. That is what Cardiff have done, they have got four more draws than us. It is getting every point.

"When I first got promoted, I can remember talking to a very experienced Premier League manager who said to me goal difference is vital.

"It is an extra point at the end of the season, that is how tight it is in the Premiership at the end of the season.

"Teams have gone down and been relegated because of goal difference, never mind that single point.

"So you are fighting for every crumb on the table. We're sat at the top table and we're at the bottom of that, but we're sat at it. You have to work for everything and make sure that everything works for you."

Marouane Chamakh

"I knew it was a really big challenge [coming to Palace], so that is why I came and I want to do everything to stay up in the Premier League this year.

"In one week, we have had two games already, and it's different playing with another striker. I think he [Pulis] has come with the confidence and I think he believes in this team and us.

"I feel something good and the feeling is that we will stay in the Premier League.

"I like to work hard for the team and I don't care if people say I don't score. When I go home, I am still happy as if I've scored once or twice.

"I know I'm a striker but that is what I am like. I am 29- years-old and I can't change."

Danny Gabbidon

"I managed to play at Cardiff last season, it was the first time I’d come back. I felt a bit strange if I'm honest. It was emotional. So to play against them in the Premier League will be special.

"Last season they tried to get me to do the Ayatollah. We were losing and I was in a bit of a bad mood – but if they ask me to do it again I think I’ll do it.

"I've been looking forward to the Cardiff game since the fixtures came out. I had some fantastic years there and loved every minute of it. I always look out for the result and it will always be that way.

"There are quite a few teams who can get sucked into the relegation fight. It is hard to say who exactly, but it is a tough league. The main thing is we have to try and pick up points ourselves.

"We don’t want that gap between is and the rest getting too big. As long as we finish fourth from bottom - and hopefully there will be three worse teams than us - then we will be happy."

Malky Mackay

"It's another tough away game. I get the fact that fans see the Arsenal and Manchester United games as exciting and also there is thought that we were probably not expected to get anything from those games.

"There is a hope we will get something from these other games. I just take it in cold hard facts of how we approach the game.

"Palace have got a new manager and that always brings that little bit of momentum and impetus as far as a group of players are concerned as was shown on Tuesday night.

"But they were never a club that were that far detached. I've watched some of the games they've played on TV and they have not been that much worse than anyone else.

"If you are in this league you are here on merit. There are some funny results that will be thrown up throughout the season.

"Iain [Moody] is a good man and over a period of time will bring a structure to a recruitment department and a common sense approach.

"He ran the recruitment department of the football club here and ran it very well. He spoke to agents and football clubs about players and contracts and had scouts working for him which all filtered into him and then filtered into me. It was a good structure and I am sure that is what he will do there."

Cardiff City - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
15th	14	3	5	6	14

Full league table

Cardiff City - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
8	1	3	4	5	13

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
26/12/2012	League	Cardiff City	2 - 1	Crystal Palace
22/09/2012	League	Crystal Palace	3 - 2	Cardiff City
28/04/2012	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 2	Cardiff City
24/01/2012	League Cup	Cardiff City	1 - 0	Crystal Palace
10/01/2012	League Cup	Crystal Palace	1 - 0	Cardiff City

All time results

Last meeting

Cardiff City 2-1 Palace

Wednesday December 26 2012

Cardiff City: Marshall, Taylor, McNaughton, Turner, Hudson, Whittingham, Conway, Mutch (Gunnarsson, 46), Noone (Mason, 76), Bellamy, Helguson (Gestede, 57)

Subs not used: Lappin, Cowie, Bo-Kyung, Lewis

Goals: Noone (44), Gunnarsson (73)

Bookings: Hudson, Noone, Mason

Palace: Speroni, Gabbidon, Ramage, Moxey, Garvan, Dikgacoi, Bolasie (Moritz, 74), Jedinak, Parr (Easter, 87), Murray, Zaha

Subs not used: J Williams, A Martin, K Appiah, L Price, S O'Keefe

Goals: Jedinak (4)

Bookings: Zaha, Dikgacoi, Bolasie, Parr