THE OPPOSITION
It has been a summer of huge transition in SE25 with a new manager at the helm in Patrick Vieira and an almost entirely new Crystal Palace squad assembled for their ninth consecutive season in the top flight.
A total of 25 players, including the likes of Gary Cahill, James McCarthy, Connor Wickham, Patrick Van Aanholt, Wayne Hennessy, Andros Townsend, and Mamadou Sakho, left at the end of their contracts in June, as did Roy Hodgson after four years in charge.
There's been a clear emphasis on youth coming in this summer with Michael Olise [Reading], Joachim Andersen [Lyon], and Marc Guéhi [Chelsea] all added to The Eagles squad. Palace had the oldest squad in the top flight last season but Guehi and former Brentford youngster Tyrick Mitchell (pictured above) were among six players 21 or younger named in The Eagles' matchday squad last Saturday.
The early signs in pre-season were positive with Walsall, Ipswich Town, Reading, and Watford all beaten by Vieira's men but their season opener at Stamford Bridge was a different matter; the reigning Champions League holder's Chelsea running out comfortable 3-0 winners.
THE GAMEPLAN
Writing for Hot Off The Press South London Press journalist, Edmund Brack, expects: "Against Chelsea, [Vieira] switched to a 4-4-2 which completely nullified any of their attacking ability.
Of course, you have to caveat that they were playing against the European champions and one of the favourites for the Premier League title, so it was always going to be a baptism of fire. I think he will go back to a 4-3-3 for this game, though, and Andersen (pictured above) will probably start alongside Guehi"
TEAM NEWS
All those who featured against Arsenal are available once more. Josh Dasilva (hip), Shandon Baptiste (ankle) and Mathias Jensen (foot) remain sidelined.
For Crystal Palace, Eberechi Eze (achilles) is a long-term absentee while Michael Olise (back) and Luka Milivojevic (personal reasons) will also not feature tomorrow. Conor Gallagher is in line to make his Eagles debut after being ineligible against parent club Chelsea last weekend.
THE MANAGER
One of the greatest players of his generation, Patrick Vieira is now looking to add trophies and awards as a manager to his long list of achievements as a player.
During an 18-year playing career spent in France, Italy, and England, Vieira won 16 major domestic trophies. There were three Premier Leagues and four FA Cups at Arsenal, including the 2004 'Invicibles' season, as well as three consecutive Serie A titles with Inter Milan between 2007 and 2009. At international level, Vieira played a key role as France won the World Cup on home soil in 1998 and then followed that up two years later with a European Championship victory.
The commanding midfielder was named in the PFA Team of the Year six years running between 1998 and 2004. He was the Premier League Player of the Year in 2001 and made the Premier League Team of the Decade a year later. In 2014, three years after he retired he was added to the English Football Hall of Fame.
His coaching career began with Manchester City's EDS in 2013 before he moved to New York City as Head Coach in November 2015. He led New York City to their first ever playoff appearance after finishing second in the Eastern Conference that season and improved their position in the combined MLS standings in each of his years with the club, from 17th in 2015 to 4th in Vieira's first season in 2016 and then to 2nd in 2017.
On 11 June 2018, Vieira was appointed as the manager of Ligue 1 side Nice. In his first season in charge, he led the club to a seventh-placed finish in the league, but departed seven months later after a run of five losses in a row and elimination from the group stage of the Europa League.
THE OPPOSITION VIEW
Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira on Brentford: "This is a team who have been working well the last five or six years. They know each other well. Their work ethic on the pitch is brilliant.
"These three points are as important as the ones we lost against Chelsea.
"It's exciting and we're really looking forward to it. We know the fans will be up for it. Hopefully we give them the game they deserve"
THOMAS' THOUGHTS
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistants: Lee Betts and James Mainwaring
Fourth official: Robert Jones
VAR: Lee Mason
Assistant VAR: Simon Bennett
Crystal Palace 21/22
11 fouls - Eighth in Premier League
0 yellow cards - Joint-Fewest in Premier League
0 red cards - Joint-Fewest in Premier League
MATCHDAY INFO
We will be backed by a packed away end at Selhurst Park tomorrow afternoon.
If you haven’t received your match tickets by last post on Friday, please contact [email protected] with “CRYSTAL PALACE REPRINT” as the title of your email and your fan number and we will ensure your tickets are reprinted and available for collection from Crystal Palace FC (from 1pm on Saturday). Please email us following receipt of your post but before 5.30pm on Friday so we can process the reprint. If you request a reprint your original ticket will not be valid and will not grant access to the Match.