Up you palace!

So, as things currently stand, palace is 9th in the league with 42 points, 15 points above the drop and only 2 (!) points off Europa League football (assuming the 7th spot remains open from a UCL/EL qualified FA cup winner). The teams above them are Spurs (42 points above on GD), Sheffield (44 points), Wolves (46 points), Man U (46 points), Chelsea (51 points), Leicester (54 points) and Man City and Liverpool out of reach. Assuming (another one) City's champions league ban is upheld, UCL qualifying could drop to 5th place and EL to 8th! One! Point! Off!

Now, 538 only gives Palace a 20% cumulative chance of finishing top 8, which is fair as Arsenal and a surging Everton are only a few points behind (2 & 4, respectively) AND Palace have a brutal run in. Palace play Liverpool (1st), Burnley (11th), Leicester (3rd), Chelsea (4th), Villa (19th), United (5th), Wolves (6th), and Spurs (8th). All tough games, and even the Villa game will likely be against a resolute side scrapping to avoid relegation. This isn't great, but it could also be perfect for Palace.

Off four wins (and clean sheets) in a row, Palace are healthy and playing the best football of their season. With 6 potential 6 pointers against the teams in the fight for these spots, and a resolute defense that's done well to soak up pressure and counter in a now compressed schedule (which I expect will wear especially hard on teams that like to press), some draws and a couple wins very well could put us in European football.

More than anything, I just grateful to have the Eagles back in action. But for now, lets dream a bit. Up the Palace!!!