'I'll drop you for the cup' Palace preview

Last updated : 04 March 2008 By Michael Morris
Jones has made it clear that any of the squad that have their minds on the weekend's cup clash with Middlesbrough and not on tonight's league game against Palace will find themselves out of the team come the weekend.

The side has picked itself over the last few games with injuries and suspensions meaning Jones could not even field a full 16 at Sheffield Wednesday 10 days ago. Now though with Glenn Lovens back from suspension, Trevor Sinclair fully fit, Ricci Scimeca back on the bench and Joe Ledley just about recovered from his hamstring injury, Jones has a couple of options.

For tonight's game Steve Thompson may get a start to avoid putting too much strain on Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Glenn Loovens will definately come back in for Darren Purse and their could be a midfield shake up with Sinclair a possible starter.

"If there are minds on the FA Cup game then they want an absolute kicking because they shouldn't be," said Jones, who is poised to make changes tonight ahead of the trip to the Riverside.

"Of course if players don't perform at Palace then I would pull them out for the Cup game. I have no sentiment when it comes to that. With the Middlesbrough game coming up it is a good time for the players returning to stake their claim.

"We will be able to use that over the next day or so by saying, 'Look, if you are in the team at Palace and have the shirt you can put yourself into contention for probably one of the biggest days at this football club in a long time'.

"That is an incentive you hope the returning players, or even those left out, will grab.

"There have been a lot of opportunities missed lately and, hopefully, some fresh faces will put a stop to that.

"Hopefully, the injured ones coming back will give that little bit of pressure on others.

"Those who think they have not been under pressure because of the injuries or lack of players will now be put under by the players coming back.

"Normally you get one or two players off form, but not one of them could string a pass together against Leicester.

"The players returning hopefully will be hungry because they have not played in a long time.

"We need to go and win at Palace because the points tally over the last four or five games has not been good enough," Jones continued.

"We have had opportunities to keep in the pack in the league. If you look at the teams around us then by just taking six points from the last 15 we would have been right back in it. That is the frustrating thing.

"Basically we keep blowing our chances to stay within the pack and that is annoying.

"A play-off place is still possible so we will keep going.

"Teams always make a late charge and it seems at the moment no-one wants to seize the initiative.

"We are just focused on looking at the top end of the table. I am not going to worry about what anyone else is doing. I am just concerned about how we are performing."

James Scowcroft, Clint Hill and Tom Soares all return from one-match bans for Crystal Palace.

Hill's return could allow youngster Lee Hills to switch back into midfield, while injuries are set to rule out Neil Danns, Mark Kennedy and Tony Craig.