In-form Crystal Palace are on the verge of the top half of the standings after yet another impressive triumph and they are now hoping to make it five Premier League wins on the bounce. The Baggies, on the other hand, suffered third straight defeat as they were beaten at home by bottom-placed Leicester City and they could find it hard to get anything from Selhurst Park.

The Alan Pardew effect

Alan Pardew may just prove to be one of Premier League’s most underrated managers, with the former Newcastle boss took over the reigns at a time when Crystal Palace were fighting for their lives and he not only helped the Eagles ensure Premiership survival with six games to go, but could also lead them into the top half of the standings. His record of eight wins in twelve league fixtures would be considered quite impressive even if he was in charge of a top 4 hopefuls, but to achieve such a feat with Crystal Palace is nothing short of a miracle. Team’s recent performances though show that the Eagles deserve to be sitting in the middle of the standings, with 2-1 triumph over holders Manchester City and 4-1 hammering of Sunderland especially impressive. With the players brimming with confidence and playing without any pressure, Palace can be trusted to extend the impressive run of results, especially as they now play host to out-of-sorts West Brom. Chances are the Baggies defence will have their work cut out for them when facing the likes of Yannick Bolasie, Glenn Murray and Wilfred Zaha.

Pape Souare is doubtful with a thigh problem, while James McArthur should overcome an illness to start. Jordon Mutch and Frazier Campbell remain sidelined.

On the downtrend

Just like their next opponents, West Bromwich showed a considerable improvement after the change in the dugout, with Tony Pulis unsurprisingly bringing instant betterment. It would appear as though the Baggies have become somewhat complacent after creating a significant advantage over the bottom three and they have largely struggled of late. West Bromwich lost five of last six match on all fronts, crashing out of the FA Cup at the hands of local rival Aston Villa, while slipping in the Premier League danger zone on the back of three straight league defeats. And while the Baggies still hold a seven-point advantage over the bottom three, they could be effectively involved in the relegation tussle should they happen to lose at Selhurst Park. Last week’s home loss to rock bottom Leicester City clearly shows that the players are completely out of confidence and with West Brom having conceded 10 goals in last three matches, this is clearly not the right time to be facing free-scoring Crystal Palace on the road. It is also important to note that the Hawthorns outfit are winless in last ten Premier League fixtures on the travels.

Important midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu serves the final match of his three-game ban, while Ideye Brown is doubtful and Ben Foster is out injured.

Verdict

Crystal Palace look virtually unstoppable at the moment and nobody will be surprised if they record fifth straight Premier League win and finally climb to the top half of the standings. Meanwhile, the Baggies are going through a very rough patch at the moment and I just cannot see them getting anything from this game.

Top pick: Home win   1.95 (19/20) @ bet365

Alternative pick 1: Over 2.5 goals   2.20 (6/5) @ Coral

Alternative pick 2: Home win + both teams to score   4.60 (18/5) @ 888sport