Monday, April 26, 2010

Crystal Palace v West Brom

West Brom are too good for Palace to secure Championship survival

Tonight's game against second placed West Bromwich Albion could see Palace secure Championship survival but unfortunately I highly doubt it.

The Eagles will face a tough test against Roberto Di Matteo's side who have already achieved automatic promotion, and deservedly so, under the Italian. With many assuming they have shifted down a gear or two since earning a swift return to the Premier League I feel that the battle for survival will go down to the final day of the season at Sheffield Wednesday.

Having already purchased my ticket for the trip to Hillsborough on Sunday 2nd May I would love to travel there in party mode having secured survival but I feel the trip to Yorkshire will be one heavily packed with nerves.

Whether or not West Brom have stepped their foot off the gas they still have more than enough quality in depth to brush aside the Eagles. Palace will need to display a huge improvement from their last home game against Queens Park Rangers, which ended 2-0 to the away side and left many Palace fans leaving with worried faces ahead of the remaining fixtures.

One player that is sure to be fired up for tonight's game is Roman Bednar, who will be keen to seek revenge on the Palace players for the abuse he suffered in the reverse fixture at the Hawthorns in September.

Palace players' taunted the Czech striker after his return from a three-match ban and reportedly labelled him as a drug dealer. That could prove to be something they may regret after Bednar has claimed, "he will be up" for tonight's game.

One thing that the Eagles will have to back them up is the fantastic Palace faithful who were in terrific voice at Pride Park for Palace's 1-1 draw last weekend. After spotting Matt Lawrence and Sean Derry in my local bar following that draw I hope they will once again be in high spirits after tonight's match. But I am fairly convinced that Shaggy [Matt Lawrence] and captain Derry along with the rest of the team won't be able to beat a quality West Brom side.