Lyon vs Crystal Palace Lineups, Prediction, Betting Picks & Odds

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Game Preview

The Lyon vs Crystal Palace betting odds lean only slightly toward the hosts for Thursday's Europa League matchup at Groupama Stadium, and that thin margin says plenty about this one.

Lyon carry the moneyline lean at +147 (Polymarket), but they arrive bruised. Friday's loss to RC Lens snapped their unbeaten run, and Lois Openda is sidelined with a leg injury.

Crystal Palace sit at +198 (Polymarket) and arrive in sharper shape. They are unbeaten in three games in all competitions, though Dean Henderson's injury forces a change in goal.

Palace sit second in the Europa League standings, well clear of Lyon. The only previous meeting between these clubs also went Palace's way, so the hosts have a score to settle.

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Recent Results

Lyon's loss to RC Lens on Friday stung, mostly because it ended a five-game unbeaten run for Paulo Fonseca's side. That run included a 2-1 win over Anderlecht in the Europa League, so the European work holds up. The bigger question is who fills Openda's spot, and Keito Nakamura gets first crack on the left.

Crystal Palace returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday, coming from behind to beat Nottingham Forest 3-1. They also hammered Lech Poznan 4-0 in the Europa League, and the Eagles still bring real punch with Mateta injured. Jorgen Larsen leads the line, with Pino and Kamada operating behind him.

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Lineups & Team News

Injuries & Suspensions

Lyon: L. Openda (Injured/out), M. Ouédraogo (Injured/out), M. Niakhaté (Injured/out)

Crystal Palace: J. Mateta (Injured/out), C. Riad (Injured/out), D. Henderson (Injured/out)

Lyon

The Lyon vs Crystal Palace lineups open with a forced change for the hosts. Lois Openda suffered a leg injury against RC Lens and is ruled out, so Keito Nakamura is set to replace him in Lyon's probable XI. Noah Nartey and Tanner Tessmann are also in line for recalls, while M. Ouédraogo and M. Niakhaté remain sidelined.

Crystal Palace

Dean Henderson is out, so Walker Benítez starts between the sticks. Pierre Sage could bring Honest Ahanor into the back five, and with Mateta injured, J. S. Larsen heads Palace's probable XI up front. C. Riad is also unavailable.

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Predicted Lineup

Lyon

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Starting Lineup: D. Greif, A. Vinícius, R. Kluivert, C. Mata, Z. Athekame, T. Morton, T. Tessmann, K. Nakamura, N. Nartey, K. Boudache, P. Sulc

Crystal Palace

Formation: 3-4-2-1

Predicted Starting Lineup: W. Benítez, H. Ahanor, A. Disasi, C. Richards, T. Mitchell, A. Wharton, Q. Timber, A. Khalaili, Y. Pino, D. Kamada, J. S. Larsen

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Prediction & Best Picks

Our Prediction

Our Lyon vs Crystal Palace prediction is a narrow Lyon win in a game with goals at both ends. Home field hands them a slight edge in our projections, which make Lyon the favorite at 41.07%, and Palace are without both Mateta and Henderson. Just don't expect a clean sheet. Both attacks carry enough to hurt each other, and Lyon get over the line in a messy, back-and-forth affair rather than controlling it.

Best Picks

Over 2.5 in the Total Goals Over/Under market. Two sides who both carry a threat make a goalfest the likelier outcome. This one sits in the Total Goals Over/Under market. Our projections land on 3.36 total goals for this matchup, comfortably north of the line, and give the over a 64.41% probability. With a Palace side that hammered Lech Poznan facing a Lyon defense that just got beaten by RC Lens, the goals should come.

Yes in the Both Teams To Score market. Lyon and Crystal Palace are both expected to find the net. This is the Both Teams To Score market. Our projections rate both sides scoring at 66.12%, and Lyon are projected for 1.74 goals with Palace close behind. Even without Openda, the hosts have enough to find the net against a Palace side missing Henderson in goal.

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Same Game Parlay

Our Lyon vs Crystal Palace same game parlay picks combine Lyon on the moneyline, Jorgen Larsen to score anytime, Both Teams To Score and a Will Hughes card.

Lyon on the moneyline matches our prediction. Home field tilts a game this even, and Palace travel without Henderson in goal or Mateta up top.

Jorgen Larsen in the Anytime Goalscorer market makes sense with Mateta out. He leads the line in Palace's probable XI, with Pino and Kamada lined up right behind him.

Both Teams To Score mirrors our second best pick. Palace have been scoring freely lately, and Lyon still have attacking pieces with Nartey and Nakamura set to start.

Will Hughes to be shown a card is the price booster. He is not in Palace's probable XI, so this leg needs him on the field, but an end-to-end game invites bookings.

Make sure to get the best odds on your Same Game Parlay with Oddschecker's Exclusive Same Game Parlay Comparison Tool.

Same Game Parlay odds correct at time of publishing.

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Talking Points

Pierre Sage returns to Groupama Stadium to face the club he coached until January 2025, and he called the trip a special moment in his career. Paulo Fonseca sees it as a challenging tactical chess match, praising Sage's teams as exceptionally well-structured. That structure is Palace's 3-4-2-1, and it runs into a Lyon side reshuffling its attack without Openda. The midfield battle between Lyon's Morton and Tessmann and Palace's Wharton and Timber looks like the place this game gets decided.

Lyon vs Crystal Palace Predictions FAQs

When is the Lyon vs Crystal Palace Europa League game?

The game kicks off at 12:45 PM ET / 9:45 AM PT on Thursday.

Where is Lyon vs Crystal Palace being played?

The game is being played at Groupama Stadium.

Where can I watch Lyon vs Crystal Palace?

TNT Sports 1 is the listed channel for the game.

What are the probable lineups for Lyon vs Crystal Palace?

Lyon's probable formation is 4-2-3-1, with D. Greif in goal and P. Sulc leading the attack. Crystal Palace's probable formation is 3-4-2-1, with W. Benítez in goal and J. S. Larsen up front.

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