I had thought of trying to do the impossible today and do a full preview of the first round Carling Cup tie at Selhurst Park. The problem is, who knows what the two starting elevens are going to look like?

Paul Merson last season at the same stage of the competition at Sheffield Wednesday, played a completely different eleven from that he had the previous Saturday. He has already said that he will be making changes to suit the opposition and the circumstances this season, so I really have no idea what the line up is likely to be. Certainly I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those players yet to start this season were lining up at kick off, such as Gerrard, Roper, Kinsella and Larossa. Fryatt, I would have thought, will be rested anyway, even without the possible need to stop him being cup tied.

As for Palace, normally I’d be saying the same sort of thing, as they would be resting players with promotion back to the Premiership being their only real priority. However, Michael Hughes, Jon Macken and Aki Rihilahti could all figure, as they are making their comebacks from injury. Don’t expect Andy Johnson to start, although, if selected, Macken and Dougie Freeman are no slouches at this level!

Predictions? Don’t be silly, that’s too much of an unknown when the line-ups are impossible to predict!