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Albion v Palace - team news

Downing makes eight changes

KEITH Downing makes eight changes to the side that beat Newcastle 1-0 in the Barclays Premier League on New Year’s Day.

Craig Dawson, Diego Lugano, Goran Popov, James Morrison, Zoltan Gera, Saido Berahino, Matej Vydra and Shane Long earns recalls to the Baggies’ starting XI.

Chris Brunt, Liam Ridgewell, Stephane Sessegnon and Morgan Amalfitano are all benched.

The other men to make way are Nicolas Anelka, Jonas Olsson and Youssouf Mulumbu, who are left out altogether, while Billy Jones misses out after suffering slight concussion and a badly cut eye against the Magpies.

Gareth McAuley captains the side.

George Thorne returns to the Baggies’ matchday squad on his 21st birthday following his loan spell at Watford.

The midfielder's last appearance for Albion came almost a year ago at Everton when he suffered a serious knee injury.

*Goalkeeper Lee Camp has now joined Bournemouth permanently after his short-term Hawthorns deal came to an end at midnight on New Year’s Day.

He had spent the previous two months on loan with the Cherries.

Tony Pulis makes five changes to the Eagles side that drew 1-1 with Norwich in the top flight on Wednesday.

Jonathan Parr, Hiram Boateng, Jonny Williams, Barry Bannan and Dwight Gayle come in, with Marouane Chamakh and Jason Puncheon dropping to the bench, and Joel Ward, Mile Jedinak and Cameron Jerome left out altogether.

ALBION: Foster, Lugano, McAuley, Dawson, Popov, Morrison, Yacob, Gera, Berahino, Vydra, Long. Subs: Myhill (gk), Brunt, Ridgewell, Sinclair, Sessegnon, Thorne, Amalfitano.

PALACE: Speroni, Parr, Delaney, Gabbidon, Mariappa, Dikgacoi, Boateng, Jonny Williams, Bolasie, Bannan, Gayle. Subs: Price (gk), Moxey, McCarthy, O'Keefe, Dobbie, Puncheon, Chamakh.

REFEREE: P Dowd (Staffordshire).