Statistical Preview: Crystal Palace vs Southampton

A penalty from Glenn Murray in the last 10 minutes ensured that the Eagles left the Liberty Stadium with a point on Sunday, and they host Southampton who will be looking to improve on their loss to Liverpool in the last round of Premier League fixtures.

Glenn Murray’s has earned high praise from manager Tony Pulis in the last fortnight, with the Eagles manager claiming that he has the quality to keep Palace in the division. Murray scored an outstanding total of 31 goals last season to help Palace secure promotion and he has shown his excellent eye for goal in the short time that he has been back for injury, as he has managed to hit the target with every shot that he has attempted.

Joe Ledley is a new arrival at Selhurst Park with the former Cardiff and Celtic man arriving in the January transfer window. He hasn’t taken long to bed into the Palace team though, slotting into midfield with consummate ease. He operated in both midfield and defence on Sunday and performed admirably, protecting his back four to great effect. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that he won more tackles than any other Palace player (8), with a tackle success rate of 89%.

Wayne Hennessey was another new arrival at Selhurst Park in the January transfer window, with the Welsh international arriving from Wolves. Although still a young man, Hennesey will be looking to establish himself in the Palace lineup as quickly as possible, but with the form that Speroni has shown this season, the Welshman may be on the bench for some time yet. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that Speroni made 5 saves on Sunday, the second most in the league, taking his overall tally to 80 – the seventh most in the league.      

Yannick Bolassie is a player who’s impressed on the flanks for Palace this term, with his excellent dribbling ability a key element in the Eagles offensive armoury. He showcased this talent of his on Sunday, completing 5 dribbles – the most in the league.

Southampton succumbed to a 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool in the last round of Premier League fixtures, a slightly unfair result considering Southampton boasted more possession and had more attempts at goal. Led by Captain Fantastic Adam Lallana, the Saints will be looking to get their campaign back on track this weekend.   

Lallana has been something of a revelation in the Premier League this season, and it will be pleasing for Saints fans that he has replicated that form on the international stage. His creativity could be a key asset for Roy Hodgson come this Summer, as he has an excellent ability to play passes that others can’t. This superb skill of his was on show at the weekend as he completed a total of 36 passes in the opposition half, the most in the Saints squad.

In the form of Callum Chambers, Southampton’s famed Youth Academy appear to have produced another gem of a young player. At the tender age of 19, Chambers has featured in 17 matches for Southampton this term, operating at either right back or on the right wing – and he certainly hasn’t let anyone down in this time. Defensively, he has excelled, making an impressive total of 139 defensive contributions (based on blocks, clearances, interceptions and tackles won).

Gaston Ramirez has struggled at times in his time at Southampton, with the weight of his transfer fee perhaps hanging over him. The Uruguayan was introduced by Pochettino at half time on Saturday, and in the 45 minutes that he was on the field, he showcased his excellent offensive ability. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that he completed 3 dribbles, the most in the Southampton squad, and also completed a pass in the opposition half at an impressive rate of a pass every 2.6 minutes.

With all the hype surrounding Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez, another young Englishman who has gone a bit under the radar is midfielder James Ward-Prowse. Another product of the Youth Academy, the youngster has been practically ever-present for Southampton this term, featuring in 25 of the Saints fixtures so far and within this time, he has managed a swing in an incredible number of crosses. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that Ward-Prowse has crossed the ball 22 times – the fifth most in the league.