The drama, what little there is left to unfold, was expected to happen elsewhere this afternoon and that's certainly the case as we approach half time. Can't imagine there will be be any tea cup throwing but hopefully the managers can help inspire some improvement at the break.

Swansea defender Kyle Bartley, playing for the first time since January, requires a bit of treatment for a small cut above the eye.

Doesn't look anything too serious and a quick smudge of Vaseline has him back in the fray.

The first change of the afternoon as James McArthur is replaced by Glenn Murray for Palace.

That should give the Eagles more of a focal point to their attack and after seven goals in his last 11 games, Murray is a man in form.

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We've hit a quiet spot and a game that looked like it might spark into life has taken on an end-of-season feel. Strange that.

Puncheon is furious to be penalised for a foul on Marvin Emnes. He probably has a point but there's no added punishment as Emnes floats his delivery hopelessly wide of anyone waiting in the penalty area.

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Palace have won a couple of corners of their own but can't force a breakthrough. Pardew should be happy enough, though, with 55 per cent possession so far for his side.

An effort from Zaha at the other end is comfortably saved by Fabianksi before two crunching tackles from Puncheon show that Palace mean business. Bolasie underlines that with a fierce angled drive which forces Fabianksi into a more meaningful stop. Things livening up nicely.

First corner of the game, conceded by Palace defender Brede Hangeland. A flick header at the near post from Jack Cork is saved by Wayne Hennessey but encouraging signs from the visitors, who have won five of their last eight away games

Little seen of the Swans' attack so far and when Marvin Emnes goes down the right he can't pick out Bafetimbi Gomis, who has notched five goals in his last five league games but will need better chances than that to maintain his current ratio.

Jason Puncheon is the next to get a sight of goal for Palace but from 20 yards he flashes a shot just over the connection of post and bar. Bright start from the home side.

Palace winger Yannick Bolasie celebrates his 26th birthday today and would doubtless love to celebrate it with a goal. He creates the first chance with a typical run and cross but Wilfried Zaha can't get a clean shot off and Lukasz Fabianski gathers easily.

Strange to see a Swansea defence without captain Ashley Williams, who is denied an ever-present record this season by missing out through injury.

Kyle Naughton starts for the Swans for the first time since 4 April but there are no major early tests for the new-look back four.

So for the last time in the Premier League this season, here we go.

Pardew has his eyes on the extra £2.5m Palace could earn by jumping a couple of places in the Premier League and has no intention of soft pedalling to the finishing line.

He said: "It could be another player for us if we win and other results go our way. You can see from our line-up that we will be attacking the game and going full strength for it.

"We want the three points and if we show the same intensity we did at Liverpool it will be hard for Swansea."

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Just a reminder that Palace could finish in the top 10 if they win their first home game since beating Manchester City on 6 April and Everton and West Ham both lose at home to Tottenham and away to Newcastle, respectively.

Swansea are guaranteed eighth place - one better than their previous highest finish in the Premier League in 2012/13.

Long-serving Swans' midfielder Leon Britton knows his history, which shows that Swansea have not lost at Selhurst Park since 2008.

The Londoner, 32, who captains Swansea in place of the absent Ashley Williams, said: "We have got a good record here, in the Premier League and when we were in the Championship. After Palace won at Liverpool last week it will be tough, but hopefully we can carry on that form we have here."

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Wayne Hennessey retains his place in goal for Crystal Palace, ahead of the long-serving Julian Speroni whose testimonial game against former club Dundee is next Tuesday night.

And the Wales international is clearly enjoying life at Selhurst Park.

Hennessey said: "For the club, in general, it's been a great year for us. I'm really proud of the boys for where we are in the league."

Pardew has been true to his word by naming a strong bench in case he needs to make a potential matching-winning change late on.

There is a little less experience among the Swansea substitutes as Monk opts not to risk players carrying niggles, as he put it before kick-off, and gives some of his squad players game time.

Palace substitutes: Speroni, Delaney, Kelly, Lee, Mutch, Murray, Campbell.

Swansea substitutes: Tremmel, Hanley, Rangel, Fulton, Grimes, Gorre, Barrow.

Palace manager Pardew makes three changes to the side that won at Liverpool last weekend with Brede Hangeland, Wilfried Zaha and captain Mile Jedinak all starting in place of Martin Kelly, Lee Chung-Yong and Joe Ledley.

Meanwhile, Monk makes four changes to his Swansea line-up as Kyle Bartley and Kyle Naughton come into a re-shuffled defence.

Marvin Emnes also starts, while Leon Britton comes into midfield and takes over the captain's armband from the absent Ashley Williams. Jonjo Shelvey, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Neil Taylor are unavailable with knocks.

Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey, Ward, Dann, Hangeland, Souare, Zaha, Jedinak, McArthur, Bolasie; Puncheon; Chamakh.

Swansea XI: Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Bartley, Richards, Britton, Cork, Emnes, Dyer, Montero, Gomis.