Palace v Crewe Alexandra

Selhurst Park, Saturday 3.00pm

Clinton Morrison

Team news

Clinton Morrison will be fit after suffering a heavy blow to his jaw against Leicester City last Friday.

Out is AKI RIIHILAHTI, who suffered a calf strain in training on Monday.

Jobi McAnuff picked up a knock on his ankle against Leicester but is expected to be fit in time but Wayne Andrews is definitely out with an abdominal problem.

Crewe hitman Michael Higdon is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Forward Eddie Johnson (back) is a doubt, while Madjid Bougherra has not trained this week due to a dental problem and is rated 50/50.

Crewe Alexandra - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
22nd	42	8	13	21	37

Full league table

Crewe Alexandra - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
5	3	0	2	9	3

Full form table

Our home record v Crewe Alexandra

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
9	5	3	1	19	8

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
29/10/2005	League	Crewe Alexandra	2 - 2	Crystal Palace
24/04/2004	League	Crewe Alexandra	2 - 3	Crystal Palace
09/12/2003	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 3	Crewe Alexandra
07/04/2002	League	Crewe Alexandra	0 - 0	Crystal Palace
17/11/2001	League	Crystal Palace	4 - 1	Crewe Alexandra

All time results

One to watch

David Vaughan

Crewe Alexandra's top scorer

Billy Jones - 8 goals

Crewe Alexandra's bad boy

Steve Foster - 7 1

Palace old boys

Gareth Taylor

Firstly, I'd like to appologise for neglecting the One to Watch and other aspects of the match preview in recent weeks. I've struggled to find the time what with copious amounts of Uni coursework due in on the same deadline.

Anyway, I must again offer my appologies as I've failed to complete the One to Watch again. However, SpikeyMatt filled in for me.

Saturday sees the Hobbit come to SE25. Not quite as short, but just as funny looking – Welshman David Vaughan is described by many of Crewe fans [all 30 of them!] as the ‘Welsh Wizard’, Palace should be wary of the wizard’s magic come Saturday afternoon when the Alex roll into South London.

A product of the highly impressive Crewe youth set-up, a set-up masterminded by Dario Gradi – you’d have thought he’d be bored of Crewe by now after 23 years at Gresty Road! The highly rated academy has produced such footballing names as David Platt, Danny Murphy and Dean Ashton – Vaughan is another who’s come through the system and is hoping to go as far as the personalities mentioned above.

A settled first teamer for now four seasons, 23 year old Vaughan is a left sided midfielder who is also able to fill in at left back when needs be. For much of the season, he’s made the left wing spot his own having made over thirty appearances this season, netting four times. His impressive performances in a struggling Crewe side have also earned him numerous call-ups to the full Welsh squad, his first coming at the age of 20 when he made his international bow against USA.

Vaughan’s creativity on the left flank has provided much-needed ammunition for the Crewe front-line in which ex-Eagle Gareth Taylor now plys his trade, albeit temporarily as he’s on loan from Nottingham Forest. Steve Jones, another Crewe forward [an ugly bloke too – makes Dowie look like Brad Pitt!] will also be looking to add his meagre four goals from 39 appearances.

Last meeting

Crewe Alexandra 2-2 Palace

Saturday October 29 2005

Crewe Alexandra: Williams, Bignot, Foster, Billy Jones, Tonkin, Gary Roberts, Cochrane, Lunt, Vaughan (Rodgers, 80), Steve Jones, Higdon

Subs not used: Tomlinson, Walker, Johnson

Booking: Cochrane

Goals: Steve Jones 7, Higdon 90

Palace: Kiraly (Speroni, 59), Butterfield (Borrowdale, 45), Ward, Fitz Hall, Boyce, Reich (McAnuff, 86), Watson, Soares, Hughes, Freedman, Morrison

Subs not used: Hudson, Andrews

Booking: Fitz Hall

Goals: Freedman 52, Morrison 65