Palace team news: Veltman to be assessed

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A look ahead to Sunday's game at the Amex.

Bruce Talbot

2024-12-13T14:00+00:00

Joel Veltman's fitness will be assessed leading up to Sunday's game against Crystal Palace.

Albion face Crystal Palace at the Amex on Sunday, kick off 2pm, in their last home game before Christmas.

Team news

At his pre-match press conference Fabian Hurzeler said, “Last week Joel Veltman was close, but didn't make it. Joel is 50-50, we will have for wait the next two days. And Jack Hinshelwood is 40-60. Ferdi Kadioglu 20-80. James Milner 10-90.

Solly March? He is getting closer. He could be a possible option, but we need to be really patient with him now. He has had a full training week and he's doing well. He is pushing to be an option for the squad and now it's about talking with the medical staff about when is the right moment to integrate him. He needs to be prepared for the Premier League and after being injured for such a long time we have to be careful and take care of his health, although I know that he's really pushing.

Fabian Hurzeler experienced the Albion-Palace rivalry with our fans at Selhurst Park last season.

Fabian Hurzeler on…

Experiencing the Palace rivalry: “Luckily I visited the game between Crystal Palace and Brighton in Palace last season. I experienced it: how the rivalry is, how the mood is between the two clubs, and I experienced also some big derbies before [in Germany].

“I know what it means to the fans. I know what it means for the club. In the end it's only about three points, but on top of that it's the meaning of the game, especially for the fans. I think everyone in the building knows the meaning [of the game] so I don't have to artificially emphasise it, and that's not my way of working anyway. My way of working is to prepare the team the best we can like we do for every other game.

“We also have a lot of experienced players in the squad. They know how important this game is for the club and the fans.”

On improving game management: “Not only was it in Leicester but it was also [the same] against Fulham and Southampton. It has happened several times. Game management is a part of it but also what culture you integrate in the club. And we talked a lot about the winning culture and how we can lift this.

“It's also how you improve the game to play consistently for 90 minutes; how you work on details because goals happen for a reason and we have to analyse the reasons and we then have to find the right solutions, so we not only need to train on the pitch but also have discussions and take opinions from the players. It's a lot of work, but work pays off.”

On Palace and their German head coach Oliver Glasner: “When I was at St Pauli we both played with five in the back and I think he had great success with his former club Eintracht Frankfurt - winning a trophy which is a big thing in Germany, and his style of play was outstanding.

“His teams are very compact, always very good in transition. He has a good style of play in possession and that's what he showed in Palace when he arrived.

“We have been in touch; we had some calls. I like how he acts, how humble and grounded he is. And I think he has the attitude to be a great manager. I think the place where they are now in the table doesn't represent their real quality and ability, what they're able to do. We have to be aware of that. Every game is competitive and a challenge for us. We try to prepare for that as best as we can.”

Joao Pedro scored our final goal in the 4-1 win in the corresponding fixture last season.

Stats and facts…

Albion have won their last two Premier League home games against Crystal Palace, last winning more consecutive home league games against the Eagles between 1979 and 1988 (7).

Crystal Palace are winless in their last six league games against Brighton (D4 L2), their longest run without a victory against the Seagulls since a run of 10 between 1979 and 1986.

Since the start of last season, only Brentford (38) have both scored and conceded in more Premier League matches than Brighton and Hove Albion (37), with the Seagulls doing so in 10 of their last 11 games, including each of their last seven.

Palace are unbeaten in their last three away Premier League games (W1 D2), last enjoying a longer unbeaten run between January and March 2022 (five). Palace are also looking for consecutive away wins for the first time since April 2023.

After losing four of their final five home Premier League games last season, Albion are one of three teams still unbeaten on home soil in the competition this season (W3 D4), along with Arsenal and Brentford.

Two of Brighton’s last three Premier League goals have been scored from outside the box, as many as they’d done so across their previous 54 goals combined. The Seagulls have never previously scored from outside the box in three Premier League games in a row.

Six of Albion’s last seven Premier League wins have been against teams starting the day in the top-half, having had a run of 11 of their 12 wins prior to this coming against bottom-half sides. Each of their last five games against sides starting the day 17th or lower have ended in draws.

Under Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace have scored first and then gone on to concede 2+ goals in seven Premier League games, including four of the six games they’ve scored first in this season. Since his first game in charge on February 24, only Chelsea have done so as often (also seven).

Kaoru Mitoma has progressed the ball furthest upfield of any non-defender in the Premier League this season (1,899 metres). He’s made 79 progressive carries of 10 metres or more, the second-most of any player in the league behind Kyle Walker-Peters of Southampton (80).

Palace’s Daniel Muñoz has scored in two of his last three Premier League appearances (two goals), having not scored in any of his first 28 games in the competition. The Colombian is also one of only two players to have made 100+ tackles in the Premier League since his debut on February 3 this year (108), along with Wolves’ João Gomes (119).

Match officials