Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers replay their FA Cup third round tie at Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening.
The two sides drew 0-0 at the Trotters’ Macron Stadium last weekend and the winner of the replay will face a home tie against Manchester City.
Sam Allardyce is still looking for his first win as Palace boss after succeeding former manager Alan Pardew a month ago. The extra game in the busy schedule is one that he and Bolton boss Phil Parkinson who rather avoid, with both sides keen to continue their rather contrasting quests to achieve their respective league objectives.
Original tie
A weakened Palace side travelled to Bolton hoping for a win to ease their busy Christmas fixture list that had slashed their already depleted squad. However, they were held by the League One side, whose James Henry was in magnificent form. The former Millwall midfielder almost scored on three occasions but found veteran Eagles legend Julian Speroni in magnificent form. Josh Vela did find a route past the Argentine late on but his header hit the post.
The Palace goalkeeper was making his 389th appearance for the Eagles, beating John Jackson record for most appearances in the South Londoners’ goal.
Loic Remy is at the other end of his Palace career and finally made his debut for the Eagles in the dull draw and almost marked it with a goal on two occasions; first toe-poking straight at the goalkeeper before striking the post moments later. The Frenchman, who had been out since August, is expected to start once again in the replay.
Anderson recalled
The Eagles recalled young striker Keshi Anderson from his loan spell at the Trotters earlier today and the former Barton Rovers man could earn a place in the match day squad against the club where he had enjoyed an indifferent spell in the opening stages of the season.
The 21-year-old scored just once in ten games, his only goal coming on his debut against Southend United in September, before being sent-off in a defeat to Walsall two weeks later. Anderson was on the bench in Palace’s first two Premier League games against West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham Hotspur but failed to make an appearance before being sent on loan to the League One outfit.
From one Palace academy player to another, Allardyce hinted that Sullay Kaikai could earn a start on Tuesday having come off the bench at the Macron Stadium, although to very little effect. Allardyce, who spent time as both a player and manager with the Trotters, said he will field an experienced side although it will include one young player who has been on loan and has minimal top-flight experience. Kaikai fits that description having spent most of the first half of the season on loan at Championship side Brentford where he made 19 appearances and scored three times.
Team news
Parkinson has decisions to make on which players to rest. Both Vela and Henry played in Saturday's defeat at home to Swindon Town after illness and a thigh problem respectively and the Wanderers boss could decide they need a break. Meanwhile, captain Darren Pratley is closing in on a return to the squad after his broken leg.
Palace skipper Scott Dann will be rested for the game, according to Allardyce, while midfielders James McArthur and Jordon Mutch as well as forward Fraizer Campbell will not make the game due to injury. Steve Mandanda, Connor Wickham and Pape Souare are still long-term absentees. Bakary Sako and Wilfried Zaha are on international duty.
Allardyce also expects the Club to sign Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson in the coming days, claiming that a deal between the two clubs is ‘agreed’.