Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim predictions: Visitors could pose problems for Palace
Phil Agius
Crystal Palace have lost four of their last six matches
Palace's first three Europa League games all produced at least four goals
Hoffenheim have scored at least two goals in five of their last seven matches
Crystal Palace had a fantastic season in Europe last term as they won the UEFA Conference League, but they have won only one of their first three Europa League league phase matches.
They face another tricky fixture at home to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on Thursday.
The latest Crystal Palace vs TSG Hoffenheim odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Key Stats
Crystal Palace have failed to score in three of their last five games
Hoffenheim have not played a match with fewer than two goals this season
Hoffenheim have had at least nine shots in all 13 of their matches this season
The Bundesliga side have been shut out in only two of their seven away fixtures
Hoffenheim have scored five goals in their last two Europa League games
Palace have lost three of their four home Premier League matches this season
Yeremy Pino has scored in all three of Palace's Europa League games
This will be the first meeting between these teams
Recommended Bets
Bet Builder
Draw or TSG Hoffenheim Double Chance
Over 3.5 goals
Adam Daghim Over 0.5 Shots on Target
Score prediction
Team News
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage is under pressure and he has a few options if he makes changes for his team's latest European test.
Dwight McNeil, Oscar Mingueza and Yeremy Pino could all make way, although Pino's goalscoring success in this competition could keep him in the team.
Evann Guessand, Eddie Nketiah and Dario Osorio are all candidates to come into the team.
Jean-Philippe Mateta is eligible to play despite his red card against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday, but Takehiro Tomiyasu, Chadi Riad and Ismaila Sarr all remain out of action due to injuries.
Hoffenheim have few options to change the line-up that faced Werder Bremen on Saturday, with Patrick Wimmer, Albian Hajdari, Robin Hranac, Bambase Conte, Valentin Gendrey and Nathan De Cat likely to be unavailable, while Vladimir Coufal is another injury concern for the visitors.
Need to know
Crystal Palace are 18th in the Premier League after losing their last three games in the English top flight. They have been beaten in six of their first nine league games after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham, when striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off after just 13 minutes.
The Eagles, who won the Conference League last season, have had a mixed start in their Europa League campaign, with a comfortable 4-0 win over Lech Poznan followed by a 3-2 defeat in Lyon and a 2-2 draw with Besiktas in Turkey.
Hoffenheim finished fifth in the Bundesliga last season but had a slow start to the new campaign, losing six of their first eight matches.
They got their season back on track with three successive wins in October but have had a bad week, getting knocked out of the German Cup by second-tier Holstein Kiel on penalties before a 2-0 league loss at Werder Bremen.
Hoffenheim lost to OFI Crete and Besiktas in their first two Europa League games but beat Lyon 3-0 in their latest match.
Prediction
Crystal Palace have found the going tough this season since Pierre Sage succeeded Oliver Glasner in the dugout and they may be worth taking on as odds-on favourites for their latest Europa League challenge against Hoffenheim on Thursday.
The Eagles had a difficult day mentally and physically against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday, suffering a third successive league defeat and having to play the final 77 minutes with only 10 men.
The home side dominated the contest, racking up 21 shots and winning the corners battle 19-0.
Hoffenheim were also beaten but a 2-0 loss on the road to fifth-placed Werder Bremen was not an awful result and they had as many shots as their hosts, with each team having 10 goal attempts.
Starting a bet builder on the game by taking Hoffenheim to avoid defeat looks a decent value option as they impressed in their last European appearance, thumping Lyon 3-0 in Germany.
A lively game looks likely as both teams have been involved in some entertaining European clashes.
Palace's first three Europa matches have produced 13 goals, while Hoffenheim's have featured 10, and taking over 3.5 goals appeals as that bet has landed in all three of Palace's games so far and in one of the visitors'.
Round off the bet by backing Hoffenheim winger Adam Daghim to have a shot on target.
The Dane has two goals and two assists in eight Bundesliga games this season and also found the net in the Europa League win over Lyon.
