As it happened: Crystal Palace edge victory, condemning West Brom to a likely Championship return 

 

A comfortable victory for Crystal Palace sees a Luka Milivojevic penalty put West Brom to the sword, condemning the Baggies to a seventeenth Premier League loss of the season.

The Eagles are now eleven points clear of the drop zone but, for West Brom, a Championship return seems likely at this stage.

One shot on target all game exacerbates Sam Allardyce's desperation.

Surely we can expect a West Brom onslaught now, or is there simply nothing left in the tank?

They haven't exactly looked like a team that is desperate to win points.

An immediate return to the Championship looms, again.

West Brom need points on the board, there was so much talk around this game, and how important it was in their plight for Premier League safety.

However, Palace look comfortable, really comfortable. Roy Hodgson is keeping West Brom exactly where he wants them, at arm's length

A whole-hearted shift from Jordan Ayew comes to an end, after Andros Townsend comes on in his place.

 

As things stand, the Eagles will be sitting in 11th place in the Premier League, having accrued 11 points more than 17th placed Fulham, who are in the drop zone.

Continue their fine defensive work, and Hodgson will feel a sense of relief, with safety all but 100% secured. 

West Brom lack a clear path, identity and strategy in their fight for survival. It would be a tough old ask to get Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville analysing their style of play.

Anyways, Jeffrey Schlupp is on in place of Ebere Eze, relieving the defensive burden he has carried through the Eagles' injury woes.

An enticing, sliding ball through finds Benteke, but his touch diverts him wide, before the shot is easily parried for a corner.

Nothing comes of the corner, unsurprisingly, given the height of the West Brom team.

There's been a few times that areas of space have cropped up in the wider stretches of the field, giving Palace more need to concentrate.

As the rain begins to topple down over SE25, Hal Robson-Kanu replaces Pereira, beefing up West Brom's attack. 

Anyone remember that scoring stint that Robson-Kanu went on a few years back? He may be set to enter the ring this afternoon, as Allardyce looks for a spark to turn this game around.

His willingness to drive forward with the ball, along with his powerful right-foot, could cause Hodgson's sturdy defence some concern.

Connor Townsend hangs a lovely ball up to the back stick, encouraging Matt Phillips to slice through the ball, finding Row Z.

The promising playmaker should have taken his time, Van Aanholt was nowhere to be seen. A touch and strike could have led to an equaliser.

West Brom have come out the blocks early in the second half. They're moving the ball around a lot quicker, with a lot more intent to harvest a positive outlook.

There is life in Allardyce's attack, but how long will that last?

Well, that would've spelt serious trouble for the Baggies. Eberechi Eze pokes a ball, that hits Bartley, and finds the Belgian, who smashes it into the upper echelons of Johnstone's goal.

Sam Johnstone, who has been West Brom's star performer time and time again this season, throws himself at the ball, making an incredible save. 

West Brom set the ball rolling for the second half, needing to turn the tide, and turn the game on its head, cancelling out Milivjoevic's first-half penalty. 

 

A Luka Milivojevic penalty, thanks to Darnell Furlong's handball, is all that separates the sides at the halfway point.

Possession, shots, emphasis and every other element, the two English managers have gone toe to toe in the first half with not much between the two in terms of quality. 

The sun over Selhurst park embodies Roy Hodgson's feelings, but West Brom must dig deeper. 

Looks as though Big Sam will have to wait for the second half to conjure a better result for his team, in an attempt to keep West Brom's Premier League fate in the balance. 

The Englishman boasts a successful, survival success, but this task is proving to be more steep than he first thought.

 

A scramble in Guaita's box leads to confusion, resulting in Kouyate going in hastily for a tackle against Conor Gallagher. 

Nothing for Simon Hooper to assess, but it provides West Brom with hope that Crystal Palace are a breakable block. 

Well, he has found the net now! Piling the pressure on the Baggies; as cool as you like. 

It was always gonna be a crucial first goal for either side. Milivojevic steps up, opens his body, slots it into the bottom right, drawing first blood for the home side.

A violent strike from Luka Milivojevic rattles its way to draw a fine save from Johnstone! The closest we have had to a goal.

A VAR check is underway as Furlong looks to have leaned into an earlier cross into the box. Did it hit his arm, or his shoulder? Was it even onside?

It is onside, as the referee is called to the review area, penalty given!

Perreira, perhaps unusually, towers above the Palace defence to find Townsend.

The Baggies slice a rare shot into the back of Ayew, giving them the corner, that came to nothing, as usual. 

Still feels like both teams are trying to feel the other, it is paving the way for a dull affair. Whoever breaks the deadlock, needs to produce something special, the contest is begging for a Zaha or Gallagher drive forward. 

Eberechi Eze, Wilfried Zaha, Jordan Ayew, Christian Benteke, the list goes on. The Eagles attacking players are all on show today, they'll hope to profit from their offensive outlook.

The return of Zaha seems to have allowed the home side advance with more fluidity this afternoon so far. 

Palace have only scored three in their last six games, while West Brom have a shot-shy record themselves.

But, an early chance for Zaha to get wide sees him drill a ball to Benteke in the middle, before Jordan Ayew misses the follow-up. 

Let's hope these defensively minded teams show some steel this afternoon...

Wilfried Zaha is back, dancing his way through every blade of grass, getting frustrated by an opposition player along the way, obviously.

Yokuslu muscled Zaha into a foul, leaving something on the Ivorian, but the free-kick comes to nothing.

Matt Phillips has delivered a few promising balls in the early patterns, with the latest finding Conor Gallagher, whose touch is scrambled by Vicente Guaita. 

Allardyce's team have mixed up their system in the opening minutes, playing some slick passes in the middle, before launching it forward from the flanks.

There's been a scrappy few patterns of play in early proceedings, with each team getting a feel for the other.

West Brom on the front foot at the minute, Palace in a structured shape, but it's only early of course. 

We're underway at Selhurst park, Palace in their famous red and blue, while West Brom are in their green and yellow stripes. 

A sunny afternoon in south London, where the home side will look to steer away from the dropzone, as the visitors seek valuable points to claw a way back into safety. 

Sam Allarydce would have looked towards this game as a valuable one for his West Brom team, a win today would make their race for survival a whole lot more feasible.

Talking to Sky Sports before the game, Roy Hodgson insisted that his team are motivated too. However, you have to feel that Allardyce's team will be at full tilt today. 

A perfect day for football, with just over 50 minutes to go until kick-off, remember to stay up to date here on VAVEL UK. 

 

The Ivorian international, Wilfried Zaha, starts ahead of Andros Townsend.

I know I shouldn't be biased, but I need Zaha to pick me up some much-needed FPL points!

 

 

The game is live on Sky Sports Main Event, with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 on Saturday afternoon. If you want to follow it online, VAVEL UK is your best option!

Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Cahill, Kouyate, van Aanholt, Eze, Riedewald, Milivojevic, Townsend, Zaha, Benteke. 

West Brom: Johnstone, Townsend, Bartley, O'Shea, Furlong, Yokuslu, Snodgrass, Maitland-Niles, Gallagher, Pereira, Diagne.

Sam Allardyce also reports no new injury concerns for West Brom.

Crystal Palace report no fresh injuries ahead of their home contest with West Bromwich Albion.

Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins, Tyrick Mitchell, James McArthur, James McCarthy and Nathaniel Clyne all remain absent for the Eagles.

After a run of eight league matches between December and February in which they conceded at least twice, West Brom have shipped just two goals in their last five in the competition.

Wilfried Zaha has scored four goals in his last four PL matches against West Brom. The last time these two sides met, the Ivorian was dominant, performing his magnum opus, netting a brace in the reverse fixture.

Crystal Palace vs West Brom will be played at Selhurst Park, in London, England. The kick-off is scheduled for 15:00 GMT.

Welcome to VAVEL UK's LIVE coverage of the 2020/21 Premier League match: Crystal Palace vs West Brom! My name is Robin Mumford and I'll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, roster updates and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.com.