Crystal Palace VS West Bromwich(WBA), tight match ending in a share of the spoils

Match Time：3/13/2021 23:00 Saturday  (GMT+8)

English Premier League --  Crystal Palace   VS   West Bromwich(WBA)

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West Bromwich Albion will continue their battle for Premier League survival with a trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.  

 

The Baggies are currently 19th in the table, eight points from the safety of 17th position, while Palace occupy 13th spot, eight points clear of the relegation zone.  

 

Match preview

Palace's three-game unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end last weekend when they suffered a 4-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, with the result leaving them in 13th spot in the table on 34 points.  

 

The Eagles, as mentioned, have no serious relegation fears at this stage as they are eight points clear of the relegation zone, but a defeat this weekend could well leave them looking over their shoulder.  

 

Palace might still be looking up the division rather than down, though, as just four points separates them from 10th-placed Arsenal, and they will be the favourites heading into Saturday's clash on home soil.  

 

Roy Hodgson's side have found it difficult to show consistency at Selhurst Park this term, winning four, drawing five and losing five of their 14 league games at home.  

 

The capital outfit will be taking on a West Brom side with the second-worst away record in the division, though, and they recorded a thumping 5-1 victory over the Baggies at the Hawthorns earlier this season.   

 

West Brom are entering last-chance saloon as they bid to escape the relegation zone, with last weekend's goalless draw at home to Newcastle United leaving them firmly in 19th position.  

 

Sam Allardyce's side are currently eight points behind 17th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion, who also have a game in hand, and it is difficult to imagine the Baggies pulling themselves out of danger.  

 

The strugglers will view the clash with Palace as a must-win contest, particularly considering that their next league game is away to Chelsea on April 3, while they are also away at top-four hopefuls Leicester City in the middle of next month.  

 

As mentioned, West Brom's away record in the Premier League this season has been disappointing, picking up just seven points from 13 matches, while they have lost four of their last five matches with Palace in all competitions, including a 2-0 defeat at Selhurst Park on their last visit in May 2018.  

 

The Baggies have also picked up just one point from their last four league games on their travels but did record an impressive 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the middle of January. 

 

Crystal Palace Premier League form: LLWDDL 

West Bromwich Albion Premier League form: LDDWLD   

 

Team News 

Palace will again be without the services of Mamadou Sakho, James McCarthy, James Tomkins, James McArthur, Wayne Hennessey, Nathan Ferguson, Tyrick Mitchell and Nathaniel Clyne this weekend.  

 

However, Wilfried Zaha made his return from injury off the bench against Tottenham last time out, and the attacker is now likely to be handed a spot in the starting XI.  

 

The bulk of the side that started at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should again take to the field for this match, with Zaha potentially coming in alongside Christian Benteke in the final third of the field.  

 

As for West Brom, aside from Kieran Gibbs, who remains a slight doubt, Allardyce has a full squad to choose from for the key contest at Selhurst Park.  

 

Robert Snodgrass is pushing for a return to the starting team, but it would not be a surprise to see the XI that started the goalless draw with Newcastle again take to the field.  

 

Darnell Furlong has recently been preferred to Lee Peltier at right-back, while Mbaye Diagne will again lead the line, meaning that Hal Robson-Kanu and Karlan Grant should start on the bench.  

 

Allardyce has the option of bringing Semi Ajayi back into the XI, though, with the 27-year-old battling with Dara O'Shea for a spot in the middle of the defence.  

 

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup: 

Guaita; Ward, Kouyate, Cahill, Van Aanholt; Townsend, Milivojevic, Riedewald, Eze; Zaha, Benteke  

 

West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:

Johnstone; Furlong, O'Shea, Bartley, Townsend; Pereira, Maitland-Niles, Yokuslu, Gallagher, Phillips; Diagne    

 

Crystal Palace 1-1 West Bromwich Albion