Julio Enciso, Kalvin Phillips and Luke Woolfenden all start as manager Kieran McKenna makes three changes from the Blues’ last league game for this afternoon’s match at Crystal Palace.

Enciso, on loan from Palace's rivals Brighton, returns from the knee injury he sustained at Aston Villa almost a month ago and will be in the centre of the three behind striker Liam Delap with Jaden Philogene on the right and Jack Clarke on the left.

Phillips is in central midfield alongside Jens Cajuste with Sam Morsy, who played 120 minutes at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Monday, on the bench, the on-loan Manchester City man having recovered from his calf problem.

Woolfenden looks set to come into the centre of the defence alongside Jacob Greaves with Dara O’Shea skippering at right-back and Leif Davis at left-back. Alex Palmer continues in goal, one of only two survivors from the FA Cup tie at the City Ground, along with Woolfenden.

Omari Hutchinson is on the bench having hurt his knee at Manchester United, while Axel Tuanzebe, who was also in the XI that night, is absent having suffered a hamstring injury at Forest.

Christian Walton is back on the bench after his groin problem, while Cameron Burgess is also in the 20 having been subbed at Forest with a calf injury.

For Palace, Jean-Philippe Mateta is injured following the horror challenge in the FA Cup game against Millwall last week and midfielder Will Hughes is suspended having reached 10 bookings.

Eddie Nketiah and Jefferson Lerma replace them in a team otherwise unchanged from the 4-1 league victory over Aston Villa a fortnight ago.

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Muñoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi (c), Mitchell, Wharton, Lerma, Sarr, Eze, Nketiah. Subs: Turner, Franca, Clyne, Kamada, Esse, Chilwell, Rodney, Devenny, Kporha.

Town: Palmer, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, Philogene, Enciso, Clarke, Delap. Subs: Walton, Johnson, Burgess, Townsend, Hutchinson, Broadhead, Morsy, Taylor, Hirst. Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire). VAR official: Paul Tierney

Photo: Matchday Images

ChrisBlue75 added 14:13 - Mar 8 Good team.
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Town1Inter0 added 14:23 - Mar 8 Despite our injury crisis, that’s still a great team!
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Leejames99 added 14:25 - Mar 8 Good team, aside Davis, should be Townsend a back four that barely concede with him, the decision to play Davis makes no sense with Jack Clarke on left, Davis just gets in his way thinking he is the winger, could be the difference today, hopefully Mckenna has told Davis he has to defend because we aren't playing wing backs and if he shoots off that makes defence shift left leaving huge gap on right, Mckenna just refuses to not put one of his favourites in, really feel for Townsend not put a foot wrong. If Davis costs us today by not getting back or silly fouls it will be on Mckenna. Aside Davis the right line-up

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atty added 14:32 - Mar 8 Think Townsend should have kept his place.
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Wonky added 14:32 - Mar 8 Should be a routine 3 points here as we begin our charge to safety.
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ChrisBlue75 added 14:32 - Mar 8 Agree re townsend for this fixture. Need solidity the back
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churchmans81 added 14:37 - Mar 8 Is Chaplin injured or is it he can’t make the squad?
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TimmyH added 14:50 - Mar 8 Only gripe with this is that Davis is back in the LB slot, maybe okay if we're playing a rigid back 5 - Morsy had a good game at Forest so a little hard done by. I would like to See Phillips and Cajuste try and get on the goals scored or at least assist sheet (which both have failed to do).
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EuanTown added 14:55 - Mar 8 Phil your missing broady in the subs
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Fermi_Parradox added 14:57 - Mar 8 I don't understand the negative comments around Davis, one of our best players last season. The way we play isn't to have Clarke out wide, it is to have him inside and Davis push on with all stepping across. This helps us overload the CAM area outside the box. It hasn't been tremendously obvious this season, but that's because the premier league is hard! It seems one or two pundits have a dig without understanding how we play, and then everyone starts jumping on the bandwagon. Having said all that, I think Townsend has done well when he has played and has a lovely cross.

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billlm added 15:02 - Mar 8 Fermi paradox, exactly last season, step to far this one going that far forward and getting back has cost us so many goals points this season, not all the blame is on him it's on McKenna to, Davis his positional play is very poor when defending,
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Linkboy13 added 15:20 - Mar 8 Team looks very lightweight with both Clarke and Philogene in the lineup. O'shea when played at right back hasn't looked comfortable but whatever lineup is selected we are not good enough perhaps Keiran is thinking of next season. No Godfrey be surprised if he puts a Town shirt on again after that no show against Tottenham.
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Leejames99 added 15:39 - Mar 8 Need to take Greaves off and put Burgess as Greaves is looking like a sending off waiting to happen, I just don't see point of playing Jack Clarke if Davis si far forward, we may aswell play Davis left wing with Townsend behind I don't see how Mckenna said not possible. Aside that good game thus far
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