Preview & Prediction: Crystal Palace vs West Brom

Crystal Palace could enter the top four with a win against West Brom on Saturday lunchtime as Tony Pulis returns to his former home ground with the Baggies.

Palace boss Alan Pardew is still without Mile Jedinak, Connor Wickham, Damien Delaney and Joel Ward, all of whom are expected to return after the international break. Aside from the injured quartet, Pardew – who has been tipped for the England job by Pulis ahead of Saturday’s fixture – has no new injury concerns to cope with.

The Eagles kept their first clean sheet of the season in last Sunday’s 1-0 win at Watford, but need to improve their home form; they have won just four of their last 12 games at Selhurst Park. If either side comes out on top it will be the 21st consecutive game in which Palace have avoided a draw.

West Brom travel to South London with fragile confidence after seeing a 2-0 lead turn into a 3-2 defeat at home to Everton on Monday. The Baggies are also likely to be without Jonas Olsson, Gareth McAuley and Salomon Rondon for their trip to Selhurst Park, as none of the trio have trained this week.

However, Pulis’ side are the only team in the Premier League still yet to concede a goal away from home this season, and seven of their eight points have come on the road. The visitors sit four points above the bottom three and just five off the top four, emphasising the unpredictability of the Premier League so far.

Corners and free-kicks will be crucial in this clash; no sides have scored more from set pieces than these two teams since Tony Pulis took charge at the Hawthorns in January.

League Position: Crystal Palace – 7th, 12pts; West Brom – 15th, 8pts
Last Meeting: Crystal Palace 0-2 West Brom (April 18, 2015)
Form: Crystal Palace – LWWLLW; West Brom – DLWDWL
Key Men: Crystal Palace – Wilfried Zaha; West Brom – Saido Berahino

Shoot Says: Crystal Palace 1-0 West Brom