Fast starters Palace host Wolves as Zaha aims to break double figures

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In the Premier League this season, only Tottenham have scored more goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches than Palace this season.

This equates to a league-high 29 per cent of their goals arriving within this time frame.

Against West Ham in midweek, the game followed a similar pattern. An early Wilfried Zaha goal set the Eagles on their way after a smart interchange with Christian Benteke.

Unfortunately for Palace’s talisman, the remaining 87 minutes of the game would see him visibly frustrated at his teammates as Roy Hodgson’s men struggled to create opportunities and eventually lost the match 3-2.

Having currently netted nine goals this season, Zaha aims to reach double figures in a Premier League season for only the second time – also 2018/2019.

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With Benteke and Andros Townsend two recipients of flailing arms from Zaha after poor attempts to find the Ivorian, the addition of Jean-Philippe Mateta could provide a boost to Palace’s attacking intent.

The Frenchman is in line to make his debut against Wolves on Saturday following his move from German outfit Mainz.

Despite striker issues of their own, with Raul Jimenez’s long-term injury still keeping him sidelines for the visitors, Hodgson still warned of a tough game for his side.

“They did brilliantly well last year and sort of took the league by storm. This year they’ve not been able to take the league by storm but they are still a very good team.

“The qualities they had last year to bring them to the top echelons of our league have not worked out for them just now, but there’s nothing to say that in the next half of the season they won’t find that form again, or maybe find that luck that they need and climb the table.” – Hodgson on Wolves test

Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves have already triumphed twice over Palace this season, in the Premier League and FA Cup, and aim for three victories in a season against the same opponents for the first time since the 2002/03 season against Reading.

January signing Willian Jose could gain his first league start after his substitute appearance against Chelsea, Wolves are desperate to compensate for the goals missed by Jimenez’s absence.

Despite their record against Saturday’s opponents, Nuno was under no allusions as to the task at hand.

“Every match is different, and every competition is different. What we expect is a tough match, like all of the matches against Palace have been through time.

“It’s a very competitive team, it’s a good squad and I have huge admiration for their manager. Roy is someone who I really appreciate and we expect a tough match tomorrow.

“Palace is a very, very good team, full of very talented players, and if you focus on the results of the teams, you ignore what is the most important aspect which is how they do things, which players are going to be involved, their characteristics, how you should approach it, your game plan – this is what determines your approach on the game.” – Nuno on his admiration for Hodgson’s and the Palace clash

A glance to the Premier League table makes this game tough to predict. The two teams have identical records of six wins, five draws and nine losses while going their last three Premier League consents without victory.

In one of the closest Premier League seasons in recent memories, a victory for either team could provide a springboard to a positive second half of the season, with European possibilities not yet out of the realms of possibility.

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