Crystal Palace v Leicester City - Kick-off 8.00pm.

Since Pearson took over in June 2008 he has established Leicester City as one of the best footballing teams in the division.

Based on similar principles of Premier League giants Arsenal, the Foxes like to win and they like to win in style.

Currently sat in 5th place they have built their campaign this year around their home form - although their away form has been nothing to sniff at - with a total of ten wins, five draws and just three defeats a formidable record.

On their travels they are almost as difficult to beat with only five defeats from their 17 games, and although wins have also not been as commonplace with a total of five victories they have been able to keep their points tally ticking over with seven draws.

IN NUMBERS

43 - The number of goals scored by Leicester City this season

16 - The number of goals Leicester City have scored away from home.

24 - The number of goals Leicester City have scored in the second half.

13/17 - The amount of games Leicester City have won when they have scored first - they have drawn the remaining four.

33 - The number of goals Leicester City have conceded this season.

20 - The number of goals Leicester City conceded away from home.

95.45 - The average number of minutes between every goal conceded by Leicester City.

Team News

Crystal Palace :-  Claude Davis is available again following his two match suspension, while Paddy McCarthy (shoulder) remains the only absentee through injury.

Leicester City: Wayne Brown (hamstring) and Alex Bruce (abdominal) are doubts for Nigel Pearson.

Match Officials

Referee : Mr S Tanner (Games: 24 Yellow Cards: 75 Red Cards: 7)

Assistant Referees :- Mr T Robinson & Mr R Whitton

4th Official:- Mr M Foley

Latest Meetings

2009/2010
FLC Leicester City 2-0 Crystal Palace 20-10-2009

2008/2009
FAC Crystal Palace 2-1 Leicester City 14-01-2009 
FAC Leicester City 0-0 Crystal Palace 03-01-2009

2007/2008 
FLC Leicester City 1-0 Crystal Palace 28-01-2008

Previous Home Encounters with Leicester City by Ian King

The clubs first met in the Football League Division Two in the 1921-22 season following Palace's promotion as Champions of the inaugural season of Division Three.

Following a defeat at Leicester a week earlier, Palace welcomed our visitors to our former home at The Nest on 8^th April 1922 and avenged that result by winning 1-0, the only goal of the game being scored by defender Robert McCracken.

City gained the first of their six League victories on our home territory early the following season as we faced each other in four consecutive seasons in Division Two.

A League Cup Fourth Round replay brought the Foxes to Selhurst Park on 11^th November 1964 but two early goals put the First Division side in command with only a last minute effort by Peter Burridge, scoring past Gordon Banks, Palace's only consolation.

Both clubs were in Division One when they next met in a League encounter at Selhurst Park on 3^rd April 1972 as a John Craven goal earned Palace a point in our struggle against relegation and since then we have been regular opponents in the top two tiers of League football.

Our home record is fairly robust against City but don't necessarily expect a flurry of goals from the Eagles - Palace have won 2-0 in three of the past seven League games here.

Three of the four F.A. Cup ties between us have been here at Selhurst Park, all ending in Palace victories, the most notable of them occurring in the Fourth Round on 24^th January 1998 when Bruce Dyer scored all three goals in our 3-0 victory, our best result in all competitions at home against the Foxes.

There have been two other League Cup clashes here in addition to the one mentioned above, both being in the Second Round First Leg. The first of these was on 19^th September 1989 as the Eagles lost 1-2 but won the second leg to go through.

There was drama here on 14^th September 1999 with Palace 1-3 down after an hour. Then Leicester substitute goalkeeper Tim Flowers (who had come on at half-time), was stretchered off after a clash with Lee Bradbury and with all three subs now used Leicester had to put an outfield player in goal and were reduced to ten men.

Palace took advantage and scored twice through Fan Zhiyi and Hayden Mullins but City hung on for a draw and progressed to the next round winning 4-2 in the second leg at Filbert Street.

The last occasion City were at Selhurst Park was in the early stages of the 2007-08 campaign on 18^th August 2007. A somewhat soporific first half was enlivened after around 30 minutes when Clinton Morrison was tugged back when clear on goal but the referee ruled the offence to be outside the penalty area. Justice was done however when Stuart Green's free kick found the back of the net.

Leicester equalised after sixty minutes or so through DJ Campbell and then took the lead with three minutes of normal time left as Patrick Kisnorbo headed home only for poacher supreme Clinton Morrison to sweep the ball home from six yards with second to spare in the 2-2 draw.

Home Football League Record:-

P 20 W 11 D 3 L 6

Full Playing Record (Home and Away):-

Betting with bet365.com

Alan Lee to score first and Palace win 1-0 35/1, and for Palace to winning at half time and full time at Oakwell you can get odds of 7-2. Place your bet simply by CLICKING HERE

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