Sean Dyche’s defensive organisation tested against a Palace side without Wilfried Zaha

Crystal Palace host Burnley at Selhurst Park tomorrow with both teams separated by only six points going into the fixture.

Hosts Palace has won two in their last three games; however, they are without their talisman Wilfried Zaha whose record speaks for itself when he doesn’t play. Palace has lost 17 out of 19 games when he’s not in the side.

The Clarets have won just one out of their last five games in all competitions and will see Saturday as a chance to get back on track. 

The London side’s defensive organisation will be essential to Saturday’s fixture without their main threat, Zaha, in the attack. 

Palace have played a 4-4-2 for most of the season under Roy Hodgson with Zaha up top with Michy Batshuayi who’s managed only one goal since re-joining on loan. Zaha has nine goals so far this season and is their top scorer so far this season so will be missed for Saturday’s game.

Despite his absence, the hosts now have Ebrechi Eze looking to be Palace’s main threat against Burnley now Zaha is injured. Eze has earned many plaudits from pundits in his first year in the Premier League and shows similar qualities to Zaha.

Both Zaha and Eze have pace, power, and skill, making them the two most valuable players to the Crystal Palace team. Eze has made 21 appearances in the Premier League and has six goals and assists this season. 

Palace have missed  Zaha’s dribbling and creativity in games last season when he wasn’t available. But with Eze’s arrival, the Eagles won’t be so reliant on the Ivory Coast international. With speculation increasing over Zaha’s future, Palace have now found someone to take over as their talisman if Zaha is to leave Selhurst Park, which will be tested against the Clarets tomorrow.

Burnley comes into this game 17th in the table, but eight points clear of relegation with a game in hand. Like Hodgson, Dyche likes his team to be strong defensively. His mould as a manager is to become challenging to beat and frustrate the opposition. James Tarkowski is an England international, and Nick Pope is slowly becoming England’s number one benefiting from Dyche’s defensive organisation and two critical players for Burnley’s system.

The Clarets have frustrated champions Liverpool this season, breaking their three-year unbeaten run at Anfield. They were defensively solid with Liverpool keeping 72% possession and having 27 attempts at goal compared to Burnley’s six. Whilst still managing to win and keep a clean sheet. 

A win for Palace would keep them in the race for a top-half finish, and a win for Burnley would leave them one point behind their hosts on Saturday with a game in hand. 

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