Crystal Palace vs. West Bromwich Albion – EPL, March 13, 2021

Some timely draws – and a win against Brighton – has probably eased any relegation worries for Crystal Palace. But West Brom is still in deep trouble and needs to pick up some points quickly.

But considering the Baggies have only won three games all season, it is not looking good for the Black Country club – or Sam Allardyce’s famous record of keeping teams up.

Palace has hardly been a club to look out for this season but I am surprised that BetOnline sees this game as even as the odds suggest. West Brom has been largely awful and looks like returning to the Championship at the end of the campaign. I would say that the draw or home win bets are the ones to concentrate on here.

Roy Hodgson will have been happy that he was able to give Wilfried Zaha a full half on Saturday after the Ivory Coast international had missed five games previous with a hamstring injury. At the time the score was 1-1, but even Zaha could do nothing about the way Spurs played in the second half.

Palace just couldn’t cope with the twin threat of Harry Kane and Gareth Bale, but should have an easier time of things this Saturday as it faces up to the West Brom attack. If Zaha can have a big influence, as usual, he may be able to provide the goals that will make life difficult for the visiting team.

The Baggies have only scored three goals in its last seven games – and none at all in the last two. The most recent game ended in a goalless stalemate with Newcastle. Those kinds of home games really need to finish in a win.

The victories have not come easily for West Brom this season though. The only one it has managed away from home was against Wolves in the Black Country derby. Sam Allardyce may have won over a few fans with that result but he is facing a much harder battle to secure Premier League status for the club. Another defeat this weekend will make that task even harder.

Palace is not one of the clubs that I immediately think of when I’m considering who to back at a weekend. But this Saturday’s fixture looks like a great opportunity to pick up a vital three points, while lifting the morale of the players and fans. West Brom should go all out to try and nick the points itself – but I’m not sure that there are the players in the team to be able to do that.