Iain Dowie leads Palace into a massive home game against Middlesbrough, with both sides suffering badly from injuries.
The Eagles haven’t been too badly affected by knocks so far this season, but the defence has taken a right battering over the last few weeks.
Emmerson Boyce has now been ruled out for the rest of the season after breaking his foot in training, and replacement right-back Danny Butterfield is out too. That means square-peg in round-hole time, with Mikele Leigertwood looking most likely to fill in.
Worrying reports suggest Gonzalo Sorondo may still be struggling with the knock he picked up against Chelsea a fortnight ago, but the international break may have given the Uruguayan just enough time to recover. Darren Powell is next in line should Sorondo not make it.
The rest of the Palace side has a more stable look to it, with AJ fit and raring to go after being forced to pull out from the England squad. Vassilios Lakis is also available if needed, after completing his one-match suspension.
Middlesbrough have injury worries too – but they have eased considerably during the fortnight since they rolled over at home to Southampton.
Mark Viduka and George Boateng are both expected to return to the starting line-up, and Ray Parlour could be back in the side too.
But the likes of Ugo Ehiogu and Tony McMahon are still missing for Boro, so their defence is no more settled than our own, and they’re also going to be missing influential pair Joseph-Desire Job and Michael Reiziger.
The right result for Palace would take us out of the bottom three – presuming Southampton can’t beat Chelsea at St. Mary’s. Not only that, but we would move to within one and two points of Fulham and Portsmouth, respectively. A big game indeed.
Probable Palace XI:
Kiraly
Leigertwood Sorondo Hall Granville
Routledge Riihilahti Hughes Soares
Johnson Freedman