We have reached the final weekend of the 2018/19 English Premier League season. Each of the ten fixtures will kick-off at the same time on Sunday afternoon and one of the games takes place at Selhurst Park between Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
Both teams are safe from relegation but cannot challenge for the European places so the pressure is off. However, with only 1 point separating the teams in the league table, whoever wins this game will finish above the other this season.
Crystal Palace are the team currently leading the way on 45 points and they come into this match having defeated Cardiff City 3-2 away last weekend. That result means Crystal Palace are undefeated in their last three Premier League games, beating Arsenal and Cardiff City away plus drawing with Everton at home.
Trends show the Eagles have been good away from home recently but have struggled to pick up wins on their own turf. They have won only one of their last six home Premier League matches and that came against relegated Huddersfield Town. In fact, the only two teams Crystal Palace have defeated at home in their last ten attempts have been relegated.
Crystal Palace have seen over 2.5 goals in three of their last five home league games and have scored at least once in seven of their last eight on home soil.
Bournemouth managed to get over the line against nine man Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. It looked as though they were gong to suffer an embarrassment of not scoring against a team with nine players but made the breakthrough at the end.
The Cherries have been inconsistent and a look at their last eight games in the Premier League shows three wins, three defeats and two draws. Recent away form has actually been better than their home form and having struggled to get a win on the road for some time, Bournemouth have won two and drawn one of their last four away matches.
The wins came at Huddersfield Town and Brighton and Hove Albion but those are their only two away wins in their last fourteen attempts in all competitions. Trends show Bournemouth have lost nine of their last twelve away games in all competitions.
Looking ahead to the team news and Crystal Palace are without Jeffrey Schlupp, James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho. Pape Ndiaye Souare could return to the squad following injury.
Bournemouth have a long list of absentees with Diego Rico, Charlie Daniels, Andrew Surman, Simon Francis and Lewis Cook all out. Junior Stanislas, Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Smith are doubtful.
This could be a highly entertaining game, with both teams looking to finish on a positive note. There should be plenty of goal scoring chances and we could see a draw with both teams finding the back of the net.