Charlton v Crystal Palace: Eagles to find it tough at The Valley
Published:Crystal Palace’s halting of Sheffield Wednesday’s impressive unbeaten run last time out will do little to prevent the Addicks taking all three points in this south London derby.
It’s 1/1 with Ladbrokes that Charlton knock the Eagles off their perch here, as they have done in three of their last four meetings.
Neither side have started the season well with Palace losing their first three league games before sinking Wednesday, whereas Charlton have also managed just the solitary win since their return to English football’s second tier.
Palace’s defensive frailties will be where they come unstuck at the Valley. In six games in all competitions they have shipped 15 goals – six of which at the hands of opposition from Leagues One and Two.
Four of Charlton’s last five wins over Palace have been by a 1-0 scoreline and it’s 6/1 for the hosts to pull off the feat again in this fixture.
The fifth win in this sequence was 2-0 to Chris Powell’s side and, if this game is to follow suit, Ladbrokes’ price of 5/2 that Charlton are victorious with two goals or fewer scored in the game is one worth getting involved with.
Palace’s best hopes will again rest on Glenn Murray who netted both goals in Dougie Freedman’s side’s win over the Owls on his return to first-team action.
The former Brighton man is among a clutch of Palace players priced at 7/1 to open the scoring, but he offers the best value of the lot by a long way.
Of the four, only Aaron Wilbraham has found the back of the net so far this term and, as he is likely to start the game on the bench, Murray is the safest bet in the Eagles’ goalscoring ranks.
All odds and markets correct as of publication
