Gary O’Neil’s men will be keen to give the Molineux faithful one last win to cheer but it won’t come easily as the Eagles are the English top flight’s form team.
New manager Oliver Glasner has made a terrific impact, leading Palace away from the relegation battle and into top-half contention. It’ll be a tough task to finish 10th or above this season but the progress is clear, with four wins and a draw in the last five matches – including victories over Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Old Gold, meanwhile, could still place anywhere between ninth and 14th but an upturn in form is needed to reach the higher end of that scale. One win, one draw and three defeats in the last five make for grim reading but it’s hoped the support of the home crowd can help turn fortunes around this weekend.
O’Neil has confirmed the Palace clash comes too soon for Pedro Neto but Mario Lemina and Santiago Bueno are in contention. This fresh team news creates uncertainty for selection but that’s got to be seen as a positive considering how many injury problems Wolves have experienced this term.
Including a defensive reshuffle and a midfield risk, here’s the lineup Birmingham World predicts will take on Palace on Saturday.
1. GK - Jose Sa
Sa is sensationally without a clean sheet since the 1-0 FA Cup win over Brighton. The Portuguese will be desperate to finally put an end to that run. | Getty Images
2. RWB - Nelson Semedo
Semedo, who has played as a right-sided centre-half recently, should head out wide to coincide with a fellow defender’s return to the XI. | Getty Images
3. CB - Max Kilman
The skipper has been inconsistent over recent months but he remains the best centre-back at the football club. He’s also a goal threat. | Getty Images
4. CB - Santiago Bueno
Bueno featured off the bench last time out and a full week of training since means he should almost certainly be available to start. | Wolves via Getty Images