Crystal Palace V Sunderland Barclays Premier League Match 31 -August 2013.Crystal Palace wingers Jerome Thomas (ankle) and Yannick Bolasie (hamstring) are still sidelined, as is Glenn Murray who is out until at least November.
Jason Puncheon is in line for his home debut, while 40-year-old Kevin Phillips could face one of his former clubs.
Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has left Stephane Sessegnon out of his squad for disciplinary reasons.Watch Crystal Palace V Sunderland Live, Watch Crystal Palace V Sunderland Live Stream, Watch Crystal Palace V Sunderland Free Live Stream, Watch Crystal Palace V Sunderland Online, Watch Crystal Palace V Sunderland Online Free, Crystal Palace V Sunderland Live, Crystal Palace V Sunderland live stream Online.
Last season's top scorer Steven Fletcher is included, while Connor Wickham is pushing for a start.
MATCH PREVIEW
A victory at Selhurst Park for either of these clubs and their managers would be a most welcome and timely one.
Both Ian Holloway and Paolo Di Canio have had an uncomfortable couple of weeks and will see this as an opportunity for a much needed lift.
Di Canio's new look Sunderland managed to salvage their midweek League Cup tie despite trailing MK Dons 2-0 with 12 minutes to go, but the Italian was far from pleased with the first 75 minutes.
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Image of Mark Lawrenson Mark Lawrenson Football analyst
"I can't work Paolo Di Canio out - in fact I've stopped trying. Sunderland have signed so many players and we won't know for a while whether they are good enough. I get a vibe from there that they are in for a real struggle.
"He may prove me spectacularly wrong but I always worry when a manager talks about himself in the third person."
Read Lawro's full prediction and score
He's brought in so many new faces from different cultures that it will take time for them all to gel.
He's also lost an outstanding goalkeeper in Simon Mignolet, while Steven Fletcher, last season's top scorer, is yet to play this campaign due to injury but was an unused substitute on Tuesday night.
His inclusion, as well as goals for Connor Wickham and new signing Jozy Altidore, will have been a welcome sight as he looks to improve a team that were the Premier League's third lowest scorers last season.
Three points would inject some belief into a Black Cats team that have actually only won twice in their last 17 Premier League games, and have Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to play in three of their next four games.
You sense Crystal Palace need that first win as quickly as possible too. Their lack of squad depth was all too apparent as they crashed out of the League Cup at Bristol City, where Holloway made 11 changes.
Similarly to Sunderland, there is a concern about the Eagles' new-look attack scoring enough goals. A lot rests on the shoulders of club record signing Dwight Gayle, in his first top flight season, and last weekend's scorer Marouane Chamakh.
Holloway knows he needs more players to give his team a better chance of defying the odds and surviving. He'll also realise the importance of their home form and picking up points in fixtures such as this one.
There'll be no shortage of passion and entertainment in the technical areas but all both managers will care about is getting three points.
If there is a winner, they'll receive a huge psychological boost ahead of the international break.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
The two clubs are meeting in the Premier League for the very first time.
Including play-off matches, Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last four home matches against the Black Cats.
Sunderland have only ever won two of 14 previous league games at Selhurst Park (D3, L9), the most recent being a 1-0 Division Two win in October 1995.
The Eagles have never lost a league game to Sunderland in the month of August (W2, D1).
Crystal Palace
Before this season, the Eagles had never lost the opening two matches of a Premier League season in four previous campaigns.
Including the play-offs, Palace have lost only three of their last 25 games at Selhurst Park (W13, D9).
Ian Holloway's men have scored in only six of their last 14 league matches (10 goals), including the play-offs.
All seven of Palace's Premier League wins during the 2004-05 season, their most recent in the top flight, came when the Eagles kept a clean sheet.
Sunderland
The Black Cats are winless in their last six Premier League games and have conceded in each game.
Paolo Di Canio's side have lost six of their last eight league away matches (W1, D1).
Only Newcastle (5.9%) and West Brom (23.1%) have poorer shooting accuracy so far in the Premier League this season than Sunderland (28.6%).
Sunderland scored just two headers in the league last season, yet their only Premier League goal so far this campaign was Emanuele Giaccherini's header against Southampton.