Cardiff City enter this weekend with their backs firmly against the wall. The Bluebirds are in 18th place and finishing there would make them the final team relegated down to Championship. They are four points behind Brighton and Hove Albion, and they have to catch the Seagulls in their last two matches. Cardiff have a -36 goal differential so they need wins, so if they don’t defeat Crystal Palace at home on Saturday, they can kiss their remaining chances goodbye.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, Wales at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 4, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cardiff City +155
Crystal Palace +170
Draw +247
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
It’s been a decent season for Crystal Palace. The Glaziers are going to finish the year in the middle of the table, and they have some nice wins to their credit. They made it to the FA Cup Quarterfinals, and Palace fans are still smiling after beating London rivals Arsenal in the Emirates two weeks ago. They are 3-1-2 in their last six games, and those two defeats came at the hands of Big Six clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. Crystal Palace drew Everton 0-0 last weekend in a game where there were a combined three shots on goal.
The Bluebirds have won just once in their last six games. Cardiff City had to feel like they could make the comeback after going on the road to beat Brighton in mid-April, but they blew a golden opportunity against Fulham last Saturday. The Cottagers had already been relegated, yet Cardiff couldn’t take advantage and lost 1-0. Wales’ lone Premier League club has been awful on the attack all season, and their 30 goals are the second fewest in the league.
The previous meeting between these two teams was a bit of a snoozer. Cardiff City and Crystal Palace finished deadlocked 0-0 in what was Roy Hodgson’s fifth straight goalless draw on Boxing Day.
Key Injuries
Four players have suffered season-ending injuries for Cardiff City. Not having Joe Ralls and Matthew Connolly hurts, but the loss of Sol Bamba and Callum Paterson is huge as those two have been a couple of the bright spots on the Bluebirds. Harry Arter and Aron Gunnarsson are questionable to play, while Kenneth Zohore is questionable.
Crystal Palace have already shut down three players for the remainder of the season. Mamadou Sakho, Jeffrey Schlupp, and James Tomkins won’t be seen again until the 2019-20 campaign.
Player to Watch
Victor Camarasa has only two games left as a member of Cardiff City. The Bluebirds’ leading scorer is pivotal to their fleeting chances of staying afloat though, and fans can’t be mad at him looking to leave with their Premier League hopes on life support. Camarasa is the lone remaining creator with Bamba and Paterson on the sidelines, so he must have a good game.
Prop Bet – Cardiff City Under 1.5 Goals -181
The cynic in me really wants to bet a 0-0 draw considering how little we have seen from Cardiff, but the better bet is to take the Bluebirds to finish with 0 or 1 goals. Cardiff have been shut out in four of their last five games, and the Bluebirds have scored two goals or more in just 9 of their 36 matches.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It’s time to cheer if you’re a Brighton fan. I think the Seagulls lock up their spot in next year’s Premier League after this match as the Bluebirds won’t be unable to do enough here.
English Premier League Odds: Cardiff City 1, Crystal Palace 1
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