Crystal Palace v Bristol City

Last updated : 21 January 2011 By BBC Sport

Bristol City manager Keith Millen welcomes back defenders Louis Carey and Liam Fontaine, with Kalifa Cisse likely to make way.

Carey's return will allow Cole Skuse to revert to his regular midfield role.

MATCH PREVIEW

Crystal Palace remain in the bottom three and have won only one of their last seven league games. But their home form is decent - and could be the key to their chances of climbing away from trouble under new boss Dougie Freedman during the second half of the season.

The Eagles are unbeaten in five matches at Selhurst Park, where they have not lost since October. They have also kept clean sheets in three consecutive home matches, which bodes well for them against a Bristol City side that has failed to score in their last two games - and conceded seven goals in the process.

Robins boss Keith Millen has inspired the kind of recovery at City that Freedman is hoping to engineer at Palace. The West Country side have improved since a dismal start to the campaign, but they have stuttered of late.

City have won only one of their last six league games, and have lost three of their last four away matches. Their only point from the last available 12 on the road came on a previous trip to the capital, when they drew 2-2 at leaders QPR.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Bristol City have won three of the last four matches between these clubs.

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• City's 1-0 win at Selhurst Park last season was their first victory there for over 48 years.

• A goal for Palace would be their 100th in league matches against the Robins.

Crystal Palace

• No team has lost more Championship games this season than Palace (15), who have also conceded more goals (47) and failed to score in more matches (12) than any other team in the division.

• They are scoring, on average, a goal per game, having netted 26 in 26 league matches this season.

Bristol City

• Of City's 265 attempts on goal this season, 157 have been on target. At 59%, it represents the best ratio in the Championship.

• They have conceded four goals in the first five minutes of matches - more than any other second-tier team.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport