Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace team news: Palace’s new £14million signing Patrick van Aanholt makes debut in crucial clash against the Cherries
The latest team news and line-ups as Bournemouth's host relegation-threatened Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium
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PATRICK VAN AANHOLT makes his debut for Crystal Palace tonight as they visit Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The defender joined the London club from Sunderland this week for £14million, and is expected to fill one of the wing-back positions tonight.
Eddie Howe has made changes to his Bournemouth side for tonight's clash.
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Brad Smith comes in at left-back for Charlie Daniels, Smith making his first start for the Cherries since the Boxing Day match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
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Simon Francis returns to the starting 11 as captain after completing his three-game ban for his red card against Arsenal, Tyrone Mings drops to the bench as a result.
Benik Afobe comes into the attack in place of Callum Wilson.
The big news as well as van Aanholt starting for Palace, is that Andros Townsend is on the bench.
Rumours persist that Townsend could be set for a return to Newcastle, but they will have their work cut out to talk to the England man due to his involvement tonight.
Crystal Palace will be desperate for the three points as they attempt to climb out of the relegation zone, while the win for Bournemouth will give them renewed hope of steering clear of the relegation places.
Speaking ahead of the game, Palace defender Scott Dann said: "It's a massive game at the start of a big week for us so hopefully we can put on a really good performance tonight.
"The results suggest it has been a difficult time but we still have belief that we can get points on the board & get in a better position."
Team line-ups
Bournemouth: Boruc, A Smith, Cook, Francis, B Smith, Stanislas, Surman, Wilshere, Fraser, King, Afobe
Substitutes: Allsop, Mings, Gosling, Arter, Pugh, Ibe, Wilson.
Crystal Palace: Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Tomkins, Delaney, Van Aanholt; Cabaye, McArthur; Puncheon, Benteke, Zaha.
Substitutes: Subs: Speroni, Fryers, Ledley, Flamini, Townsend, Remy, Campbell.
Fact me
- Bournemouth have won three and drawn two of their last five matches with Crystal Palace in all competitions.
- The Eagles have won just once in their last 13 away games against Bournemouth (D2 L10) – 3-2 in November 1987.
- Defender Scott Dann has scored both of Crystal Palace’s goals against Bournemouth in the Premier League.
- Sam Allardyce is winless in his first five league games in charge of Crystal Palace (W0 D1 L4) – his worst winless run at the start of his league career at a single club since Notts County (first 15 league games without a win in 1996-97).
- Allardyce’s tally of one point from his first five PL games in charge of Palace (W0 D1 L4) is three fewer than Alan Pardew managed in his final five at the club (4 – W1 D1 L3)
- Crystal Palace have been losing at half-time on 13 occasions this season in the Premier League; three more than any other side.
- Bournemouth have lost 15 points from leading positions in the Premier League this season; more than any other side.
- In Premier League history, only Blackpool (48.7%) have won a higher proportion of their Premier League points away from home than Crystal Palace (48.2%).
- Jason Puncheon has created 16 goalscoring chances for Christian Benteke this season; more than any other player has for a teammate in the Premier League in 2016-17.
- Crystal Palace have averaged the lowest distance run per game this season in the Premier League (106.6km).