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• LA Galaxy v Real Salt Lake: Vanney encouraged ahead of top-of-the-table tussle

  Greg Vanney believes the LA Galaxy are in a good spot both physically and mentally ahead of Saturday's clash with fellow Western Conference high-fliers Real Salt Lake.

  The Galaxy sit third in the West through 11 matches of the season, though they have failed to win back-to-back road games against Austin FC (0-2) and the Seattle Sounders (0-0).

  They are, however, unbeaten in all four of their home league games this term (two wins, two draws), and Vanney is looking forward to returning to Dignity Health Sports Park next time out.

  "Physically, first and foremost, we're in a pretty good spot. We have a few guys coming back from issues that were pretty minor," Vanney said.

  "It's good. We've been able to stay in that space for a while and now we're going into a busy part of the schedule we can make some choices about how we want to attack the week.

  "Where are we mentally? We're good. It's nice to be home, it's a challenge to play a lot of games on the road early doors.

  "We like the spot we're in and we want to keep building, but we've got to get through this tough stretch of games."

  Real Salt Lake are top of the Western standings with 21 points, only losing twice in 11 league games this year.

  However, they were dumped out of the U.S. Open Cup by New Mexico United on Wednesday, Pablo Mastroeni shuffling his pack for a 4-2 road loss.

  "We completely tuned out," Mastroeni said after watching his team go 2-0 down within 20 minutes.

  "The emotion is like, 'poor me,' and when you operate from that space, you can never think reasonably."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec

  The Galaxy (12 shots) and Seattle (19) combined for 31 shots in their scoreless draw last time out.

  Pec – who has two goals in 10 league appearances since joining the Galaxy in the offseason – recorded six of his team's attempts, but only hit the target once. He will be targeting an improvement here.

  Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango 

  Arango is the first Real Salt Lake player to contribute to at least one goal in five straight regular-season away matches, recording four goals and five assists during his streak.

  He is just the second player since the start of last season to record a goal contribution in five straight MLS away matches, after the Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez.

  MATCH PREDICTION – LA GALAXY WIN

  The Galaxy have lost only one of their last 13 home matches against Real Salt Lake (nine wins, three draws) including going unbeaten through the last seven in a row. 

  The last two meetings in Carson have both ended level, though, after the Galaxy won nine of the previous 11 (one draw, one defeat).

  However, Vanney's team have only lost one of their last 14 regular-season home matches dating back to last June, winning six and drawing six while averaging 2.2 goals per game throughout this run.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  LA Galaxy – 44.8%

  Real Salt Lake – 27.8%

  Draw – 27.4%

• Resurgent Crystal Palace have faith in Glasner project, says Munoz

  Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz believes the Eagles are beginning to hit the levels they expected to reach under new boss Oliver Glasner, as they look to continue their strong form against Wolves on Saturday.

  Palace are one of the form teams in the Premier League, with Monday's 4-0 rout of Manchester United making it four wins and one draw from their last five matches. 

  Michael Olise netted twice as Palace demolished the Red Devils at Selhurst Park, recording their biggest league win over United since they managed a 5-0 success back in December 1972.

  Palace can leapfrog Fulham and Wolves into 12th in the table with a victory on Saturday, and right-back Munoz says confidence is high within the squad.

  "It was a very special win for all of us. Everyone is happy – the players, the fans, our families," Munoz said, reflecting on Monday's game.

  "It was a great game. The team is getting to the level we all want and that is reflected on the pitch.

  "I think the dressing room has started to believe. I think you can feel that belief from the new coach."

  While Palace are ending a middling campaign on a high, Wolves have seen a fine season fizzle out somewhat, their European hopes fading amid a spate of injuries to key attackers.

  Gary O'Neil's side will likely need to beat Palace to keep hopes of a top-half finish alive, and star forward Matheus Cunha says a strong finish will also help to build momentum for 2024-25.    

  "I think six points would be very important," Cunha said, looking ahead to Wolves' final two games.

  "It's hard, we play Liverpool and an important game against Crystal Palace at home – we have around the same points, so we need to play and get three points and keep focused.

  "We've done an unbelievable season, but we cannot finish with a bad feeling. We need to win to make it feel like a good season and keep going for the next one."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Wolves – Hwang Hee-chan

  Following goals against Luton Town and Manchester City in his last two games, Hwang is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time. 

  He has 12 goals overall this season, with only Raul Jimenez netting more in a single Premier League campaign for Wolves (13 in 2018-19, 17 in 2019-20).

  Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta

  Since Glasner's first Premier League game in charge of Palace on February 24, only Cole Palmer (11) and Alexander Isak (10) have scored more goals in the competition than Mateta (nine). 

  He has scored six goals in his last six league appearances, and with Olise and Eberechi Eze providing him with service, he should get plenty of chances at Molineux. 

  MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW 

  Wolves have lost five of their last six Premier League games against Palace, including a 3-2 defeat at Selhurst Park in September's reverse fixture. However, the one exception was a 2-0 win in this exact fixture last campaign.

  Palace have won 55 per cent of their Premier League games against Wolves (6/11), only managing a better ratio against Stoke City (70 per cent, 7/10) among teams they have faced at least 10 times in the competition.

  However, with little to play for, it would be no surprise to see the spoils shared at Molineux; Wolves have not won their final home league game in any of the last three seasons (two draws, one defeat), having done so in six of their previous seven campaigns.

  The Eagles, meanwhile, have not won their final away league game in any of the last four seasons, drawing one and losing three since triumphing 3-2 at Cardiff City in 2019.

  Only bottom club Sheffield United (16) have scored fewer away goals in the Premier League than Palace (17) this season, so a repeat of Monday's free-flowing display may not be on the cards.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Wolves – 36.9%

  Crystal Palace 33.1%

  Draw – 30% 

• Boehly says Chelsea masterplan is 'coming together'

  Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly believes the Blues' plan is finally starting to come together, hailing the "beautiful football" played by Mauricio Pochettino's men in recent weeks. 

  Chelsea have spent over £1billion on players in less than two years under the Boehly regime, but they have had to wait to see any kind of return on that sizeable investment.

  Following a dismal 12th-placed Premier League finish in 2022-23, Chelsea endured a difficult start to their first campaign under Pochettino, but a recent upturn has them eyeing European qualification.

  Chelsea have only lost one of their last 12 Premier League games (six wins, five draws), beating Tottenham 2-0 and West Ham 5-0 in their last two to move into the top seven.

  With games against Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Hove Albion and Bournemouth to come, the Blues have put themselves in with a chance of securing Europa League football for next season, and Boehly is delighted with their progress.

  Speaking at a Sportico conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Boehly said: "We've seen the last two and a half games... in the second half at Aston Villa and against Tottenham and West Ham, we played beautiful football.

  "It was so fluid, it was exactly the way we drew it up, when we came out of the back, built up and moved up the pitch, it was very organised, then the number of shots we had…

  "In those two and a half games, you could really start to see what we were working on coming together." 

  Chelsea's 5-0 rout of West Ham last Sunday made it nine wins in their last 11 Premier League games at Stamford Bridge (one draw, one defeat).

  Since the start of December, they have earned the joint-most home wins (nine, alongside Arsenal) and home points (28, level with Manchester City) in the Premier League.