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Preview: Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa

Sports Mole previews Aston Villa's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace as Paul Lambert's side attempt to end a miserable run of nine games without a victory.

Aston Villa came within three minutes of ending their eight-match winless run at Burnley on Saturday.

On his first Premier League start for the club, Joe Cole gave Villa the lead, but a late Danny Ings penalty left them still searching for a first win since September 13.

With the fixtures coming thick and fast this month, they have only three days to dust off that disappointment and try again when they visit Crystal Palace on Tuesday.

The Eagles have recovered from their own slump - four defeats in five games - to climb out of the drop zone and are above 16th-placed Villa in the table on goal difference.

Mile Jedinak's penalty earned them a hard-fought draw at Swansea City, and Palace are now back at Selhurst Park, where they proved too much for Liverpool last weekend.

With three fixtures in a week to contend with, home boss Neil Warnock may freshen things up with some changes to the lineup which started at the Liberty Stadium.

Dwight Gayle has joined central defensive duo Adrian Mariappa and Damien Delaney in the treatment room and therefore Frazier Campbell could be recalled to play in front of Marouane Chamakh in attack.

Club-record signing James McArthur and Manchester United loanee Wilfried Zaha are also in contention as Warnock considers resting Joe Ledley and Jason Puncheon ahead of the trip to Tottenham Hotspur.

Villa manager Paul Lambert does not have the luxury of rotating his squad quite so freely, with captain Ron Vlaar, Fabian Delph, Philippe Senderos, Nathan Baker and Libor Kozak all still nursing injuries.

Some much-needed better news for the Scot is that Christian Benteke is available again after suspension, and will be brought straight back in to partner either Andreas Weimann or Gabriel Agbonlahor in attack.

The Villans are the lowest scorers in the Premier League this term, having found the net just seven times in 13 games. Weimann has scored three and assisted two of these, so should get the nod ahead of the local lad.

Should fitness not be an issue, Cole is likely to retain his place at the tip of a midfield diamond after his impressive showing at Turf Moor, but Carlos Sanchez could be left out as he continues to adapt to the English game.

Palace have lost only two of 10 Premier League matches with Villa and won both of last season's games 1-0.

Palace:

Recent form: LDLLWD

Possible starting lineup: Speroni; Kelly, Dann, Hangeland, Ward; Zaha, Jedinak, McArthur, Bolasie; Chamakh, Campbell

Villa:

Recent form: LLLDDD

Possible starting lineup: Guzan; Hutton, Okore, Clark, Cissokho; Westwood, Cleverley, Richardson; Cole; Weimann, Benteke

Sports Mole says: 1-2


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Danny Ings of Burnley celebrates scoring the first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Burnley at the Britannia Stadium on November 22, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal35255585285780
2Manchester CityMan City34247382325079
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa35207873522167
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs33186967521560
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle341651374551953
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
9Chelsea33139116359448
10Bournemouth35139135260-848
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves35137154855-746
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton341111125257-544
13Fulham35127165155-443
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton35128153748-1136
16Brentford3598185260-835
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3579194262-2026
18Luton TownLuton3567224877-2925
19Burnley3559213870-3224
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd3537253497-6316


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