Facts and figures ahead of Saturday's cup tie with the Eagles
All-time results record (League, FA Cup and League Cup)
PLD | W | D | L | F | A | GD | |
HOME | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 37 | 29 | 8 |
AWAY | 23 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 27 | 26 | 1 |
NEUTRAL | 0
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
ALL | 47 | 21 | 13 | 13 | 64 | 55 | 9 |
Interesting facts
The two sides have never met in the FA Cup. In their only cup clash the Baggies won 3-1 at Palace in the fourth round of the League Cup back in December 1981.
Palace winger Jerome Thomas scored 13 goals in 106 appearances for Albion in all competitions. His only FA Cup goal for the Baggies came in a 4-2 fourth-round victory over Newcastle in 2010.
Albion have won the FA Cup on five occasions and are five-times runners-up – while Palace’s only final appearance saw them draw 3-3 draw with Manchester United before losing the replay 1-0 in 1990.
The Eagles are one of only 13 clubs to have reached a final but not won an FA Cup (Leicester, Birmingham, Queen's Park, Stoke, Millwall, Middlesbrough, Watford, Brighton, Queens Park Rangers, Fulham, Luton & Bristol City).
Palace have exited the competition at the third round stage in six of the last ten years (2003/04 – third round, 2004/05 – third round, 2005/06 – fourth round, 2006/07 – fourth round, 2007/08 – third round, 2008/09 – fourth round, 2009/10 – fifth round, 2010/11 – third round, 2011/12 – third round, 2012/13 – third round).
The Baggies have enjoyed slightly more success in the competition having reached a semi-final and the fifth round twice in the last ten years (2003/04 – third round, 2004/05 – fourth round, 2005/06 – third round, 2006/07 – fifth round, 2007/08 – semi-finals, 2008/09 – fourth round, 2009/10 – fifth round, 2010/11 – third round, 2011/12 – fourth round, 2012/13 – third round).
Last time out
HOME: Premier League, Saturday, November 2, 2013, Albion 2 (Berahino 44, McAuley) Crystal Palace 0
AWAY: Championship, Saturday, April 26, 2010, Crystal Palace 1 (Reid og 17) Albion 1 (Tamas 21)
Form guide (last six matches)
ALBION: LLDDDW
PALACE: WLLWLD
Last match line-ups
ALBION (v Newcastle – home W 1-0): Foster; Jones (Berahino HT), McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Amalfitano, Mulumbu, Yacob, Brunt(c); Sessegnon (Vydra 77); Anelka (Gera 88). Subs not used: Myhill (gk), Morrison, Long, Lugano.
CRYSTAL PALACE (v Norwich - home D 1-1): Speroni, Mariappa, Gabbidon, Delaney, Ward, Bolasie (Jonny Williams 80), Jedinak, Dikgacoi (Parr 46), Puncheon, Chamakh, Jerome (Gayle 61). Subs not used: Price (gk), Moxey, Bannan, Phillips.
Palace team news
Palace will be without long-term injury absentees Glenn Murray, Jack Hunt, Adlene Guedioura, Jerome Thomas and Paddy McCarthy. Kagisho Dikgacoi limped off against Norwich City on Wednesday so is unlikely to be risked but Stuart O'Keefe is fit again after a hamstring strain.
Ref watch
Phil Dowd will referee Saturday’s game. The Staffordshire official last oversaw Albion in November's 2-1 Barclays Premier League defeat at Newcastle. Dowd has dished out one red and 79 yellow cards in 18 games this term.
Betting
Selected odds from Sky Bet:
Albion to win: 8/11
Palace to win: 4/1
Draw: 5/2
Matej Vydra to score first: 11/2
Dwight Gayle to score first: 15/2
If you fancy a flutter with the club's online betting partner, click here.
Tickets
Tickets for this game remain on general sale. For more details, click here.
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