Palace v Birmingham City

Selhurst Park, Friday 5.30pm

Wilfried Zaha

Team news

Crystal Palace winger WILFRIED ZAHA is suspended for the game after he made a gesture to Leeds fans earlier this month.

Stephen Dobbie could come in for him or former Portsmouth striker Aruna Dindane, who signed this week, could start if he is fit enough.

Mile Jedinak hopes to have shaken off jet lag and be fit to play following a long flight representing Australia in midweek.

Joel Ward (groin), Alex Nimely (hamstring), Paddy McCarthy (groin) and Owen Garvan (knee) are still out.

Birmingham left-back Mitch Hancox is available after recovering from a hamstring injury, but midfielder Jonathan Spector is doubtful due to an ankle injury. Keith Fahey could come in.

Quotes

Roy Hodgson

“Aruna Dindane has been training with us and we have seen what was needed to get him up to our level of fitness, so we have been working with him to get him to the condition that we want. I am hoping he returns to what I have seen him play like before. He’s very strong and a goalscorer.

"I haven't sworn for almost a week now. Not since I watched a video of my confrontation with referee Dean Whitestone at the end of my Crystal Palace side’s 2-2 draw with Leeds United recently. I didn’t think I had done anything wrong at the time.

"Yes, I was unhappy with Mr Whitestone’s performance that afternoon and I was outraged that Luke Varney — a player I once managed at Blackpool — had dived in a bid to win a penalty.

"I told myself that I went on to the pitch to drag my striker Kevin Phillips away from the officials so he didn’t land himself in trouble. I was just kidding myself.

"When I saw a film of my sortie into the centre-circle at the final whistle, I could quite clearly see myself mouth a number of obscenities at the referee.

"And I was ashamed of myself. That was why I accepted the Football Association’s charge of improper conduct and paid a £2,000 fine.

"In fact, my behaviour cost me a grand total of £2,012 — because I also had to pay a £12 ‘fine’ to my wife Kim after initially telling her that I hadn’t sworn at the ref.

You didn’t have to be an expert lip reader to know what I said. So I decided to take a vow of silence as far as swearing is concerned."

Jon Williams

“Cardiff have done incredibly well this season, they have set such a hot pace at the top. Cardiff know how to grind out results and are highly consistent in what they do.

“They are, without doubt, the Manchester United of Championship football. We are doing everything we can at Palace to close that gap, but realistically runners-up is the target.

“Everybody at Palace believes top two is within reach and that’s what we are aiming for. We’ve been fourth for a while and it would be great to jump up a couple.

“There is so much to play for and we have eight League fixtures left to join Cardiff in the top two.”

Lee Clark

“I am looking forward to the run in, these last eight games. We are playing well, we have continuity and there is a confidence about the team.

‘‘Apart from Hull, which was a proper battering, we’ve only lost three times this year and one of those games, against Cardiff, could have gone either way.”

Darren Ambrose

"I think I've got a strong relationship with Crystal Palace fans. It's no secret Palace have got a place in my heart and I always look out for their results.

"It is the first time I'm returning on Good Friday and I was disappointed to miss the game at St. Andrew's in December, so I'm looking forward to it. I had my best part of my career at Palace, but I'm hoping now I can recapture that form I had at Birmingham."

Birmingham City - league stats

Position	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
12th	38	12	13	13	49

Full league table

Birmingham City - current form

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
8	3	3	2	10	12

Full form table

Last five results

Date	Type	Home Team	Score	Away Team
15/12/2012	League	Birmingham City	2 - 2	Crystal Palace
07/04/2012	League	Birmingham City	3 - 1	Crystal Palace
19/12/2011	League	Crystal Palace	1 - 0	Birmingham City
24/02/2009	League	Crystal Palace	0 - 0	Birmingham City
21/10/2008	League	Birmingham City	1 - 0	Crystal Palace

All time results

Last meeting

Birmingham City 2-2 Palace

Saturday December 15 2012

Birmingham City: Butland, Caldwell, Davies, Caddis (Hancox, 58), Robinson, Burke (Zigic, 65), Elliott (Hall, 56), Diop, Reilly, King, Løvenkrands

Subs not used: Morrison, Doyle, Redmond, Ibáñez

Goals: Zigic (66), Diop (82)

Bookings: Burke, Løvenkrands

Palace: Speroni, Ward, Delaney, Ramage, Parr, Bolasie, Dikgacoi, Garvan, Moritz (Gabbidon, 77), Zaha, Murray (Wilbraham, 82)

Subs not used: Appiah, Price, O'Keefe, Moxey, Easter

Goals: Murray (39, 60)

Bookings: Parr