The turn of the year will very much be a new dawn for Crystal Palace as they prepare for life under a new manager with a Premier League visit to Aston Villa.
Alan Pardew is widely expected to quit Newcastle United and be confirmed as successor to Neil Warnock, who was sacked on Saturday, in the coming days.
The 53-year-old has been given permission to speak to the club where he spent four years as a player, but will not be appointed in time to take charge at Villa Park.
Keith Millen, who oversaw the 0-0 draw at Queens Park Rangers, remains caretaker boss for the time being and will be hoping to end Palace's seven-match winless run with three New Year's Day points.
Captain Mile Jedinak has demanded whoever fills the Eagles hotseat to retain Millen's services for the relegation battle ahead, but Pardew may want to bring trusted number two John Carver with him to Selhurst Park.
Millen will be without his skipper for the trip to the Midlands as Jedinak will have departed for Asia Cup duty with Australia, but is otherwise unlikely to deter too far from the side which comfortably held Rangers.
The versatile Joel Ward could be moved into midfield to compensate for the loss of Jedinak, with Martin Kelly, who has not started either of Palace's last two games, coming back into the side at left-back.
Elsewhere, Fraizer Campbell may be recalled to give the visitors a greater focal point in attack, with Wilfried Zaha the most likely of Palace's pacey front three to be sacrificed. Marouane Chamakh remains sidelined.
2014 was another year of mediocrity for expectant Villa fans, and ended with a home stalemate against Sunderland which extended their winless run to four matches and left them 13th in the table.
Paul Lambert was nevertheless pleased with the battling qualities shown by his 10 men to keep out the Black Cats on Sunday, after midfielder Fabian Delph saw red for a second-half lunge on Jordi Gomez.
A failed appeal against the England international's suspension, Ashley Westwood's continued absence and doubts over Tom Cleverley's fitness leave Lambert a little light of options in the centre of the park.
Gabriel Agbonlahor and Kieran Richardson are back from their own bans to bolster the Villa ranks and should start, but Philippe Senderos, Libor Kozak, Nathan Baker and Joe Cole are all still missing.
There will also be a late fitness test for Ciaran Clark, with Jores Okore, who had been enjoying his longest run in the side before being rested against Sunderland, on standby to partner Ron Vlaar in defence.
The last three meetings between these sides have been decided by a 1-0 scoreline, including Villa's victory in London at the start of December, which came courtesy of a first-half Christian Benteke strike.
Villa:
Recent form: WWLDLD
Possible starting lineup: Guzan; Hutton, Vlaar, Okore, Cissokho; Sanchez, Cleverley, Richardson; Weimann, Agbonlahor, Benteke
Palace:
Recent form: LDDLLD
Possible starting lineup: Speroni; Kelly, Dann, Delaney, Ward; Jedinak, McArthur, Ledley; Bolasie, Puncheon, Campbell
Sports Mole says: 1-0
Joe Fish
