Match Preview: Villa v Palace

Who are we playing?
Crystal Palace

Where are we playing?
Boxing Day 3pm

Can I go?
Until our home form markedly improves, there should be no problem getting Villa Park tickets.

Easy to get to?

There are NO TRAINS!!! The buses are on Sunday Service but many routes stop running after 6pm so after match pints could be curtailed. If you're driving, bear in mind they'll be more cars about than usual due to the no trains situation so leave extra time to get parked up.

Black Cabs use a slightly higher tariff on Boxing Day. If your driver tries to charge you double though, he's ripping you off.

Can I watch it live on the telly?

Not legally no. Naughty pubs or dodgy web streams are your best bet.

Big game?
Six pointer.

Villa's home form has been desperately poor for years now. Anything other than a convincing win against one of the poorest sides in the league and the knives will be out. Having struggled against Sunderland and been played off the park by a poor Fulham team, we'll be strong relegation candidates if we don't win this.

Do Crystal Palace have any famous fans?   

Well there's Suzanna Reid off breakfast telly, though better known now for shaking her bits on Strictly Come Dancing. There's also Matthew Wright off of Channel 5's The Wright Stuff. Appearing on Channel 5 probably doesn't count as being famous but he entered the public consciousness by screaming like a girl on I'm a Celeb.

We've got Martin Duffy out of Primal Scream.

So we win.

Who's playing for us?
Depressingly, Big Chris Benteke is out for some time with his knee problem while Ron Vlaar's calf may continue to rule him out.

Westside has hit five bookings and is banned from the game.

The good news is that Gabby Agbonlahor will be available again.

Who's playing for them?

Tony Pulis hooked Barry Bannan off at half-time against Newcastle so it might well be that he won't start him, so if you want to see a short person clowning around, you might have to go a panto.

Chamakh has found his striking boots in recent weeks but he's suspended which is a relief.  Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis could draft in baby-faced assassin Dwight Gayle to partner Cameron Jerome.

Any useless stats?
Of course, here you go:

Clem Stephenson

• Our first meeting with Palace was in the FA Cup 3rd Round in February 1913. We ran out 5-0 winners with two goals each for Harold Halse and Clem Stephenson.

• Almost 49 years would pass before we'd meet them again, winning another FA Cup 3rd Round tie, 4-3 this time with two goals for Harry Burrows.

• We did the double over Palace in our 1980/81 Championship winning season. Gary Shaw netted in a 1-0 victory at their place while Peter Withe bagged a brace as we won 2-0 at Villa Park.

• Our last Premier League win over Palace was back in March 1998. Ian Taylor scored in the first minute while Savo Milosevic bagged two including a penalty. Some Villa fans refused to celebrate Savo's goals due the infamous spitting incident at Blackburn two months earlier.

• Crystal Palace put an end to our defence of the Coca Cola Cup in November 1994, winning 4-1 thanks to two goals each for Chris Armstrong and one Gareth Southgate. Dalian Atkinson got our consolation goal.

He said, She said...

"You look at that mid-table region. There is absolutely nothing in it. One win catapults you up." Paul Lambert.

"The next two games at Villa Park and Man City will be tough" Tony Pulis.

Prediction

We predict either a Villa fan or very angry scenes at Villa Park.