Crystal Palace vs Shakhtar Donetsk | UEFA Europa Conference League Preview

Crystal Palace will be desperate to overturn their semi-final deficit when they welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Selhurst Park on Thursday evening, trailing 3-1 from the first leg in Krakow. The Eagles find themselves in a precarious position but will take heart from their solid home record in this competition, having won four of their seven Conference League matches at Selhurst Park.

Palace's recent form tells a mixed story. Their last five matches show three wins, one draw and one defeat, though that loss was the damaging first leg result against Shakhtar. At home in this competition, they've been considerably more resilient, conceding just four goals in seven matches while scoring eleven. Their overall Conference League campaign has seen them find the net 24 times in 15 games, averaging 1.6 goals per match, but they'll need to be far more clinical than usual to mount this comeback.

Shakhtar arrive in London having demonstrated their away prowess throughout this European run. The Ukrainian side has been particularly impressive on their travels, winning five of their six away Conference League fixtures while remaining unbeaten. Their recent form reads as four wins and one draw from their last five matches, with that draw coming in their most recent outing. They've been slightly more prolific going forward than Palace, averaging 1.8 goals per game, and crucially they've shown they can score crucial goals in the latter stages of matches, with seven of their 23 Conference League goals coming between the 61st and 75th minutes.

The fixture load could play a significant factor here. Palace have played 15 Conference League matches compared to Shakhtar's 13, though both teams have been managing their squads reasonably well through the extended European campaign. Neither side appears to be carrying any significant injury concerns that would dramatically alter their team selection for this crucial encounter.

The head-to-head record between these sides is brief but telling. When they met in the first leg just a week ago, Shakhtar dominated proceedings at the neutral venue in Krakow, taking a commanding 3-1 victory. Palace managed to grab an away goal but were largely outplayed, particularly in the second half when Shakhtar pulled away. That result gives the Ukrainian outfit a significant psychological advantage heading into this return fixture.

Palace have predominantly lined up in a 3-4-3 formation throughout this European campaign, using that system in eleven of their fifteen matches. They've occasionally switched to a 3-4-2-1 setup but seem most comfortable with their attacking trio leading the line. Shakhtar have been far more consistent tactically, employing a 4-1-4-1 formation in twelve of their thirteen Conference League outings.

Spanish referee A. Hernandez takes charge of this crucial encounter. Without specific data on his disciplinary tendencies, both teams will need to be mindful of their approach, particularly given the high stakes and emotional intensity that typically accompanies European knockout football.

Palace need to score at least three goals to have any realistic chance of progression, assuming Shakhtar find the net once. Given Shakhtar's excellent away record and their first leg dominance, this looks like a bridge too far for the Premier League side. Shakhtar should have enough quality to weather any early Palace storm and book their place in the final with a 2-1 victory on the night.