Could Sakho transform Palace fortunes in Boro six-pointer?
On the back of Jurgen Klopp’s appointment as Liverpool boss, wholesale changes were expected within the squad. The Reds needed an overhaul in personnel on the back of Brendan Rodgers’ sacking, with the defence understandably a first port of call for Klopp. However, while many perhaps excepted to see Dejan Lovren exiled from the first team squad, ultimately it was Mamadou Sakho who was tipped to depart Anfield over the summer. Having initially been handed the number three shirt, Sakho was demoted to the reserves having not respected the rules put in place for the squad after being sent home during the club's pre-season tour of the USA.
Indeed, Sakho is yet to register a competitive club appearance this season, yet it wasn’t until the dying embers of the January transfer window that his exit was confirmed. Having been linked with a move to Southampton, coupled with a return to France, it was Crystal Palace who ultimately secured the centre-back’s services on deadline day. Sakho, though, is yet to make a first team appearance for the Eagles following his Selhurst Park arrival, but has made the matchday squad for recent defeats to Sunderland and Stoke.
Click for full team news and probable lineups via our detailed match preview
With Palace out of action for two weeks, Sam Allardyce could well have taken the break as an opportunity to get the centre-back up to speed and after back-to-back defeats, where they have shipped five goals, Allardyce could use the weekend’s welcome of Middlesbrough as the ideal opportunity for Sakho to make his Palace debut. In what is very much a relegation six-pointer, the welcome of Boro is a must win for both teams. Palace sit three points behind Aitor Karanka’s side ahead of the weekend clash and victory - provided results go there way - could lift Palace out of the relegation zone and level on points with Saturday's opponents.
Middlesbrough have scored fewer goals (19) than any other Premier League team this season, while only Leicester (6) and Burnley (5) have netted fewer goals on the road than Karanka’s side (8). While a perhaps overly pragmatic approach means that Middlesbrough are a tough side to break down, they rarely score either. It’s a high-octane fixture, of that there is no doubt, but Sakho is a player who is capable of handling the pressure of the big games.
Considering his European experience garnered with PSG and Liverpool, not to mention his international pedigree, he has what it takes to make an immediate impact to help ease Palace’s defensive woes. Only Swansea (54), Bournemouth and Hull (both 49) have conceded more goals than the Eagles (46) in the Premier League this season. Considering Allardyce has lost six of the eight league games he has overseen on the back of his December appointment, the former England manager needs to rejuvenate his squad in order to drag them out of the relegation zone and up the table.
The integration of Sakho would undoubtedly improve a Palace defence that has kept fewer clean sheets (2) than any other Premier League side this season. While he has not registered a competitive appearance since a 4-0 win over Everton back in April, Sakho boasts the necessary physical attributes to re-establish himself as a Premier League regular. With Allardyce himself often looking to implement a pragmatic approach, Sakho could be the ideal capture, at least in the short term, to guarantee Palace’s top-flight status.
An average of 6.2 clearances per game for Liverpool in the Premier League last season highlights the proactive side to his game, with the Frenchman more than capable of being in the right place at the right time to alleviate the danger on the goal. This season, that would be more than any other Palace player, which further identifies another problem in the defence. The current crop of central defenders appear to lack the positional awareness to be in the the right place to clear the ball from the back, which has contributed to Palace’s fall into the relegation zone. With Palace also conceding more goals from set pieces (16) than any other Premier League side this season, a defender of Sakho’s ilk would also improve the club’s fortunes when defending corners and free kicks.
Sakho boasts statistically calculated WhoScored strengths of ‘aerial duels’ and ‘concentration’, which would undoubtedly improve Palace’s chances of repelling any attacks from set piece situations. What’s more, is that a passing quality to his game means he is able to play the ball out from the back rather than aimlessly hoofing the ball out from the back. While Christian Benteke is a handy attacking outlet, an ability to retain possession as and where possible would lessen the chances of pressure being increasingly applied to the Palace goal.
Palace’s welcome of Middlesbrough is arguably the biggest game in the Premier League this weekend considering the potential consequences of its outcome. It would undoubtedly be a baptism of fire in terms of significance for Sakho were he to make his first team debut at Selhurst Park, but the Eagles are unlikely to come up against - with all due respect to Boro - an easier opponent to ease the centre-back into first team action. His inclusion could be a risk given a lack of competitive action in 10 months, but it may be a risk worth taking if Palace are to put a vital three points on the board.
