A place in the quarter finals is on offer for the winner of this contest under the floodlights, with an appearance at Wembley just three games away once the final whistle blows tonight.
But how are Palace fans feeling ahead of the game? We spoke to Sam Blain about one of the league’s form teams this season.
Fan View
Were you happy with your transfer business this summer?
It was phenomenal. Credit really has to go to the club for their work in the transfer window. Sako, who was the Championship’s best player last season, on a free transfer was inspired. The real coup, though, was Yohan Cabaye. A French international, he has made a real difference to the team.
Can Palace win the cup?
Why not? There’s a real buzz about the place at the moment and we’re at the best when we’re playing with pace on the counter, which is perfect for cup football.
If you could place one Manchester City player in the Palace team, who would it be?
It has to be Sergio Aguero, doesn’t it? He would make such a huge difference to any team in the world.
If you could place a past Palace player (in his prime) in the current team, who would it be?
Ian Wright would thrive on this wing service, but this team has plenty of attacking talent already!
Any rising stars in the Palace ranks who might get a chance today?
We’re still waiting to see Patrick Bamford and this could be a great opportunity for him to stake a claim for a starting position.
Who is your most important player?
Cabaye has been different class, but the great thing about this team is that they really do play as a team. It’s very much a collective effort and we have numerous matchwinners.
What will be the key battle in today’s game?
It’s very difficult to predict how much rotation we’ll see. With Manchester United coming up at the weekend we might rest a couple of players. We’re set up to counter quickly and break with pace, which should be the pattern of the game.
Predicted starting XI:
Hennessey, Mariappa, Dann, Hangeland, Kelly, Jedinak, McArthur, Sako, Puncheon, Zaha, Bamford
Score Prediction:
Palace to win 2-1 in extra time.
