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Crystal Palace vs Southampton - LIVE!
Wilfried Zaha put speculation about his future behind him to fire Crystal Palace to an opening-day victory over Southampton.
The winger needed 13 games to get off the mark last season, but achieved the feat after only 13 minutes at Selhurst Park and it was enough to give Roy Hodgson's men a 1-0 win.
Vicente Guaita's excellent close-range save from Che Adams in the 53rd minute was the closest Southampton went with Danny Ings nullified by a makeshift Palace defence due to the Eagles missing seven first-teamers.
It could have been worse for the visitors had referee Jonathan Moss not downgraded his decision to send off Kyle Walker-Peters at the start of the second half, but despite keeping 11 players on the pitch, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side failed to fire in the capital.
Jack Rosser is at Selhurst Park, with George Flood running you through the action...
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How to watch on TV today and live stream details
TV channel: The match will be televised live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate, with coverage starting from just before kick-off.
Live stream: BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.
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Standard Sport's Jack Rosser at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace will be desperate to start the season on a high having closed the last campaign with seven defeats and a final day draw against Tottenham.
They face a Southampton side who have a rather good record in SE25 - having won their last three here without conceding - and were one of the form teams post-restart, losing just one of their final nine games.
The Saints, however, have a woeful record on the opening day in the Premier League, winning just twice in 21 attempts.
Hodgson on Zaha future
Photo: Getty Images
Wilfried Zaha starts for Crystal Palace this afternoon and Roy Hodgson is understandably eager for the future of his star player to be clarified soon.
He has also expressed his shock at a seeming lack of suitors willing to pay a realistic fee for the Ivory Coast international.
"It is a little bit frustrating," Hodgson said at his pre-match press conference.
"It would be nice to have Wilf with us without this cloud that hangs over him - is he really going to stay with us or are we going to have to wave goodbye to him?
"I am surprised that we do not get more people knocking on our door who are willing to pay a sensible price for him because I think he is such a good player.
“And I think he finds it frustrating sometimes that we are not having to turn down offers every single day from some of the top clubs in the country and the world because he thinks he has the ability to play there and I think so too.
“But all the time he is with us working with me I am delighted. I enjoy working with him enormously, admire his talent and of course he helps us win football matches.”
Final preparations in SE25.
Those are some very lively warm-up shirts being sported by the Southampton contingent...
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: AFP via Getty Images
Photo: AFP via Getty Images
Andros Townsend is set to make his 150th appearance for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this afternoon.
Photo: Getty Images
Team news
Roy Hodgson decides against starting any of Crystal Palace's three summer arrivals.
Eberechi Eze and Michy Batshuayi are on the bench. Nathan Ferguson is still struggling with injury.
Southampton hand Will Smallbone a start but Mohammed Salisu misses out. Danny Ings and Che Adams are up top.
Confirmed Southampton team
Southampton: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand, Smallbone, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Redmond, Adams, Ings
Subs: Vestergaard, Long, Djenepo, Obafemi, Tella, Vokins, Forster
Confirmed Palace team
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Kouyate, Dann, Mitchell, Townsend, McArthur, McCarthy, Schlupp, Zaha, Ayew
Subs: Eze, Milivojevic, Meyer, Hennessey, Batshuayi, Kelly, Woods
Southampton team news
Southampton will be without Stuart Armstrong, who suffered a thigh injury on international duty with Scotland.
Defender Mohammed Salisu, a summer signing from Spanish side Real Valladolid, could make his Saints debut.
Crystal Palace team news
Roy Hodgson will today weigh up whether to unleash new signing Eberechi Eze on the Premier League when Crystal Palace kick-off the season at home to Southampton.
Eze, a £20million summer signing from QPR, has declared himself fit after recovering from a groin injury but he has only played 45 minutes in pre-season and is short of match fitness.
Michy Batshuayi is likely to go straight into the team after completing his loan switch from Chelsea. Palace are still missing injured defenders Mamadou Sakho, Gary Cahill and James Tomkins, so Cheikhou Kouyate is set to start alongside Scott Dann at centre-back.
New signing Nathan Ferguson is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered at West Brom last season, Patrick van Aanholt is missing and Christian Benteke and Connor Wickham have also been ruled out. Youngster Tyrick Mitchell is set to start at left-back.
Welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE coverage of the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Southampton.
We have Jack Rosser at Selhurst Park, with George Flood running you through the game.
Stick with us for all the build-up, action and reaction.
