Crystal Palace attacker Evann Guessand could not have done more to earn a start at Old Trafford in Sunday’s Premier League scrap with Manchester United.
The Aston Villa loanee put the icing on the cake in Thursday’s 2-0 Conference League victory over Zrinjski Mostar, shortly after notching the winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League.
Yeremy Pino and Brennan Johnson both provide stiff competition up front, but Guessand warrants a starting berth alongside Ismaila Sarr, who should be retained despite wasting a couple of golden chances in midweek.
Whoever starts in the supporting roles will have the job of feeding Jorgen Strand Larsen, who will hold onto the number nine spot unchallenged while Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta recuperate from their injuries.
Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell are shoo-ins out wide, as is Man Utd-linked Adam Wharton in the engine room, but Will Hughes could displace Daichi Kamada as Oliver Glasner refreshes his resources.
Maxence Lacroix battled back from a groin issue to start and score in midweek, and assuming the Frenchman is fit enough, he ought to join Jaydee Canvot and Chris Richards in an unaltered backline.
Returning to place where he played second fiddle for most of his embryonic career, Dean Henderson has impressively kept three clean sheets in four Premier League games against Man Utd, the best ratio of any goalkeeper in the competition’s history (75%).
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Lacroix; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Sarr, Guessand; Strand Larsen
> Click here to see how Man United could line up for this game