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9 min: There is still some major concern for Mateta here, who remains down after that horrific collision with Roberts.
RED CARD (Roberts)
It’s a nightmare start for Millwall as Roberts sees red for that clumsy challenge on Mateta.
6 min: Hughes sends the ball through to Mateta and Roberts comes out to make the clearance. The goalkeeper gets a touch on the ball but completely clatters into the striker and kicks him in the face. Referee Michael Oliver doesn’t give anything initially but it’s being reviewed by VAR…
4 min: Eze steps up to take the free kick and sends the ball straight into the box, but Cooper is there to head it clear.
3 min: Crystal Palace have a free kick in a fairly dangerous area after Sarr is caught by a high boot from Tanganga.
2 min: Bryan plays a long pass down to Azeez on the left wing. The forward looks to make the cross but Guehi intercepts and heads the ball clear.
Kick-off
Crystal Palace get us underway at Selhurst Park!
The teams are out. Selhurst Park is rocking. Kick-off is just a few moments away!
Millwall head coach Alex Neil has instructed his team not to be “reckless” during their FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace. He said: “They’ve got guys that are worth, what, 40, 50, 60 million pounds. So what we don’t want to do is go there and be gung-ho and be reckless because I think at that point that’ll play in their favour.
“But we want to go there and be really competitive, we want to play on the front foot, we want to make sure that we assert ourselves on the game. We’re not daft, we know we’re playing against a really good side.
“I think earlier on in the season, and I’m not comparing the two teams, but we went to Leeds when they were favourites and I thought we performed really well. Again we went with a game plan and we carried it out really well so this game will be similar in terms of I think it’ll be a high quality game with good players on the pitch and hopefully we can do ourselves justice.”
“Palace are in buoyant form, solidly placed in the league and a potent presence in this side of the draw. Millwall are safely lodged in the Millwall Zone of the past few seasons, eternally six to eight points off the Championship playoffs. It seems fair to say Saturday’s Cup tie is the biggest event in the calendar for either of these teams as the season starts to narrow to its end point.”
While we eagerly await kick-off, click here to read Barney Ronay’s take on today’s derby.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is expecting a “big football party” when Millwall arrive at Selhurst Park this afternoon. He said: “I’m expecting a great game. A sold-out Selhurst Park and lovely weather is predicted. I think that’s why we all love football. It’s the FA Cup, Saturday, High Noon, so everything that we want. Everything is ready for a big football party.”
Asked if he believes the atmosphere will be the fiercest he’s ever faced, Glasner responded: “No I don’t think so. Winning the Europa League was the best cup competition I ever played. We won it in the end with the last penalty. Goosebumps on the whole body and hoping the last player scores. And winning at Camp Nou in front of 85,000. Unbelievable atmosphere. I think I have faced it many times. But of course it will be a great game, a great atmosphere.”
Elsewhere in the FA Cup
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Preston North End vs Burnley (12:15pm)
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Bournemouth vs Wolves (3pm)
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Manchester City vs Plymouth Argyle (5:45pm)
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Newcastle vs Brighton (Sunday, 1:45pm)
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Manchester United vs Fulham (Sunday, 4:30pm)
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Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich (Monday, 7:30pm)
As exclusively revealed in the Guardian earlier this month, semi-automated offside technology is being trialled in this season’s FA Cup from the fifth round onwards. It was used for the first time in England last night.
In case you missed it, Marco Asensio inspired Aston Villa to a 2-0 win over Cardiff City last night. Villa have now progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 10 years.
Team news
Crystal Palace starting line-up: Matt Turner; Daniel Muñoz, Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guehi (C), Ben Chilwell; Will Hughes, Jefferson Lerma; Ismaïla Sarr, Eberechi Eze; Jean-Philippe Mateta. Substitutes: Dean Henderson, Tyrick Mitchell, Eddie Nketiah, Matheus Franca, Nathaniel Clyne, Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton, Romain Esse, Justin Devenny.
Millwall starting line-up: Liam Roberts; Wes Harding, Jake Cooper (C), Japhet Tanganga, Joe Bryan; Billy Mitchell, Casper De Norre; Luke Cundle, Femi Azeez, Camiel Neghli; Josh Coburn. Substitutes: Lukas Jensen, Murray Wallace, Ryan Wintle, Aidomo Emakhu, George Saville, Mihailo Ivanović, Raees Bangura-Williams, George Honeyman, Zak Sturge.
Preamble
It’s derby day! Millwall complete the eight mile trip to Selhurst Park this afternoon to face their South London rivals Crystal Palace in the FA Cup fifth round. These two sides last went head-to-head three years ago, with Palace clinching a 2-0 win.
Historically, this has been a very tightly contested affair. In 98 meetings between the two teams, Millwall have recorded 38 victories while Palace have won 30 - the remaining 30 ending in a draw. But while the Lions have the better record over the course of 100 years, Palace hold the upper hand currently.
Today’s hosts are unbeaten in their last five meetings with their rivals, and given the team’s recent form they will go into this clash with plenty of confidence.
Kick-off is at 12:15pm GMT - join me!
