Palmeiras will face Cruzeiro on Saturday at 21:00 at Arena Barueri in the Brasileirão, with the home side going in without Allan after his third yellow card in the win over Remo triggered an automatic suspension. The midfield and wide attacking spots may also look different, with Jhon Arias in line to move to the right wing, his preferred position, as Palmeiras tries to steady itself after two straight league draws.
Arias has already produced four goals and two assists in 21 matches for Palmeiras, and the source says his best spell in his previous club came from the right side, where he totaled 47 goals and 55 assists in 230 matches for Fluminense. On the other flank, Felipe Anderson and Maurício are competing for the left-wing role. Felipe Anderson contributed one goal and two assists in the 4-1 win over Jacuipense, while Maurício scored once, set up another and completed 38 of 43 passes, an 88% success rate, in that same match.
Palmeiras also expects more options at the back and in midfield. Arthur has returned to full training at left back, Andreas Pereira trained normally and will be available for the middle of the pitch, and Paulinho trained on Thursday and could be listed after being rested against Jacuipense for load management. The probable lineup points to Carlos Miguel, Giay, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo, Arthur, Marlon Freitas, Andreas Pereira, Arias, Felipe Anderson or Maurício, Sosa and Flaco López.
The timing matters because Palmeiras has already let points slip with two consecutive draws in the Brasileirão, and Flamengo has cut into its lead at the top of the table. That makes Saturday’s meeting at Arena Barueri more than a routine league fixture: Palmeiras needs a sharper performance and a cleaner result to avoid turning a small wobble into a broader chase for first place.
The pressure now sits on how Abel Ferreira balances a suspension, a possible position switch for Arias and the return of key players without losing control of a match that could shape the title picture. If Palmeiras does not turn the refreshed lineup into three points, the gap it built earlier in the season will keep shrinking.
