Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's late Premier League kickoff as West Bromwich Albion host Crystal Palace at The Hawthorns. Nothing separates the two teams in the league as things stand, and with both sides coming into the match in pretty poor form, it makes a win all the more important today. Let's start with a look at the team news...

WEST BROM STARTING XI: Foster; Olsson, Yacob, Gardner, Brunt, Berahino, McAuley, Fletcher, Dawson, Sessegnon, Rondon

WEST BROM SUBS: Myhill; Chester, Anichebe, McClean, Lambert, Pritchard, Sandro

CRYSTAL PALACE STARTING XI: Hennessey; Kelly, Dann, Delaney, Ward; Zaha, Ledley, Cabaye, Mutch; Wickham, Adebayor

CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Speroni, Mariappa, Jedinak, Lee, Bolasie, Chamakh, Gayle

We will have a more in-depth look at those two sides a little later, but first let's take a look at the hosts today. This is, of course, a match that sees Tony Pulis come up against one of his former clubs, and it is one that he will be desperate to win following a rather inauspicious exit from Palace a couple of years ago. He did a great job with the Eagles, guiding them to safety, and that is the same task that he faces with West Brom now.

Things are looking good in that respect, with the Baggies starting the day 14th in the table and a healthy eight points clear of the relegation zone. They are, in fact, just four points adrift of the top half and only eight away from the magical 40-point mark so, while the threat of relegation still looms large, West Brom can at least afford the odd slip-up along the way.

Having said that, their recent form does need improving, with the Baggies having only won one of their last seven games and two of their last 11 in all competitions, excluding penalties. One of those victories was an impressive one against Everton, but the other came against Championship opposition in the form of Bristol City.

That win over Everton in their most recent Premier League outing ended a five-game winless run in the top flight as the Baggies picked up their first league victory since January 2. Quite how they managed to win that game will still be puzzling Everton boss Roberto Martinez, whose side utterly dominated the game but could not stick the ball in the back of the net. Salomon Rondon's 14th-minute strike ultimately proved to be the difference in the 1-0 win.

Any momentum that they might have built from that victory was quickly halted in the FA Cup last weekend, with West Brom slumping to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Reading in the FA Cup. The Baggies squandered a 1-0 lead in that match, conceding three times in the final half an hour to be dumped out of the competition by their Championship opponents, leaving only Premier League survival to focus on.

The biggest talking point from that game was not the fact that West Brom were knocked out, though. There was an unsavoury incident after the match that saw long-serving player Chris Brunt struck just below the eye by a coin thrown from the West Brom end. It was an incident roundly condemned by all in football, and the Baggies supporters will unfurl a banner in support of Brunt this afternoon, in addition to chanting his name in the 11th minute.

West Brom's main problem this season has been scoring goals. Only rock-bottom Aston Villa have scored fewer in the top flight, while their last five Premier League matches have yielded only two goals. They have had a league-low 77 shots on target this term, and their main threat has come from corners, with a joint league-high eight goals coming via that avenue.

Their home form has been rather mixed as well. West Brom have not been beaten in front of their own fans since a 2-1 loss at the hands of Bournemouth on December 19, but having responded to that result with consecutive wins, they have drawn their last four home games on the bounce. That, of course, has been enough to maintain their unbeaten run, but another draw or defeat today would leave them five without a home win for the first time since 2011. In the Premier League alone, only four teams have amassed fewer home points than the Baggies, but they are unbeaten in their last four and have only lost one of their last seven - a run that includes taking points off Arsenal and Tottenham.

There was a time this season when that improving West Brom home record wouldn't have fazed Palace. They have developed something of a reputation for being away-day specialists under Alan Pardew, with their counter-attacking style and quick wingers wreaking havoc against even the biggest teams. That has not really been the case in the last few weeks, though, with Palace currently going through a really poor spell of form.

They are now winless in their last four league away games, a run which has seen them score just one goal and includes dropped points to the likes of Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Swansea City. It is their worst away spell under Pardew, and a far cry from the sort of form that saw them win five and lose just two of their opening eight away games this season - with those two solitary defeats coming against the current top two teams in the league.

Even so, their away record is still significantly better than their home record this season, so if Palace are to break out of this rut then it is more likely to happen on the road. They have picked up 18 points in 12 games on their travels this term compared to just 14 points from 14 home matches.

Home or away, Palace are in desperate need of a win. They are still looking for their first league victory after Christmas, with their current streak coming in at a league-high nine games since they beat Stoke 2-1 on December 19. They have picked up a meagre three points from 27 available in that time, which is four fewer than any other team over the same period.

Things have got even worse since the turn of the year, with Palace having won only one point from 21 available to them so far in 2016, a tally that unsurprisingly puts them at the bottom of the form table. They have not gone 10 Premier League games without a win since the 2004-05 season, which ended in relegation.

The subject of relegation still seems unlikely for Palace despite them actually being level on points with West Brom and only eight points clear of the drop zone themselves. These next two games, against West Brom and Sunderland, will be crucial to their hopes for the remainder of the season, as after that, eight of their last 10 games this term come against teams currently above them in the table.

Like West Brom, Palace have been having their troubles in front of goal recently, with only four goals from their nine-match winless run, although they have found the back of the net once in each of their last four games. That, coupled with their defensive record of having conceded 16 goals in their seven league games this year, is certainly not a winning formula and will be something Pardew hopes to change. He needs more goals from his strikers, though. Adebayor's first goal for the club in their last league game against Watford was the first that any Palace striker has scored from open play all season.

Compare that to their defence, which has accounted for eight of their 27 league goals, and it gives some indication of how must the strikers have underperformed this season. More than half (14 of 27) of their goals this season have come via set pieces, so it is clear to see where their main dangers lie. It was, in fact, from a set piece that Palace got the only goal of the game against Spurs in the FA Cup last weekend as they pulled off an impressive 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane, at odds with their league form, to reach the quarter-finals, where they will face Reading.

Right, let's take a look at that teams news before kickoff, shall we? Well, the first thing to note as far as the Baggies are concerned is that Saido Berahino is handed another start alongside Rondon up front, which will no doubt please the fans who have seen their side struggle for goals far too often this season. Sessegnon will provide further attacking threat for West Brom too.

In all, Tony Pulis has made four changes to the side beaten at Reading, although Brunt, who was of course involved in the coin-throwing incident keeps his place in the side. Yacob returns in midfield in place of Sandro, while Gardner, McAuley and Dawson are all also back in.

The latter two of those are particularly good news for West Brom as both McAuley and Dawson return from injury to help out what has been a rather strained defence in recent weeks. Evans is unavailable due to a hamstring injury, though, so the Baggies are by no means at full strength defensively here.

As for Palace, Pardew has once again opted for two strikers in an effort to turn his side's fortunes in front of goal around, with Adebayor and Wickham the pair to get the nod once again. The noises coming out of the club surrounding the polarising figure of Adebayor have been good so far, and if he can show anything close to his best for the remainder of the season then Palace should start climbing the table once again.

It is an unchanged side to the one that beat Spurs in the FA Cup last weekend, which doesn't happen too much with cup rotation policies nowadays. That result is by far their most impressive in some time, though, so Pardew has decided to stick with that formula. That does mean no start for Yannick Bolasie, though, with the fit-again winger having to start on the bench following his return to fitness after two months out.

Palace are also missing Sako, Puncheon and McArthur at the moment, so their midfield has taken a bit of a hit because of that. Defensively, Souare remains suspended following his late red card in the defeat to Watford a fortnight ago, which means Ward fills in at left-back once again. Hennessey, meanwhile, continues in goal despite Palace's recent troubles at the back.

PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes away from kickoff at The Hawthorns, which means that it is time for a prediction! Both of these sides will be desperate for a win today, but at the same time they will be eager to avoid what would be a damaging defeat. It is a really tough one to call, but I'm going to go down the middle and predict a 0-0 draw. Hopefully I'm wrong!

I have already mentioned Palace away form today, and they have a decent record at The Hawthorns too having won three of their last six visits in all competitions, losing just once. Their most recent visit came in October 2014 when they blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2, with Berahino rescuing a point for the hosts with a 93rd-minute equaliser from the penalty spot.

The reverse fixture this season ended in a 2-0 victory for the Eagles at Selhurst Park, with another penalty proving crucial as Cabaye put the game to bed from the spot. Bolasie had earlier opened the scoring for Palace in that match.

The 3pm games have not affected either of these side's positions in the table, although neither of them would move up the standings with a victory following Chelsea's win. They are only three points off Everton, but the Toffees have a far superior goal difference to both of these sides.

We're just moments away from kickoff now, but before we get started let me point you in the direction of our latest episode of The Dugout, where we discuss the biggest talking points in football this week.

KICKOFF: Here we go then! West Brom get us underway at The Hawthorns with both sides really in need of a victory here.

Low-key start to the match as both sides look to get themselves on the ball and settle into the game in the opening exchanges.

Nothing to get excited about for either side in the opening stages here, with the ball being stuck in the middle third of the pitch so far.

Rondon goes clattering into Ward in an aerial battle, which results in a free kick for the visitors deep inside their own half.

Decent spell of possession for the hosts inside the Palace half as they work it out to the right flank. Dawson eventually tries to drive a cross into the middle, but it takes a deflection and goes straight into the arms of the keeper.

It is down that left flank that West Brom are looking to attack at the moment. Sessegnon spins away from one marker before swinging a decent ball into the box, but there aren't enough bodies in the box.

The Baggies break the deadlock! It is good play from Rondon as he first holds the ball up to find Berahino, but bursting in behind the defence to latch on to the return pass. He drives a powerful strike towards the far corner that Hennessey keeps out with his foot in unorthodox fashion, but the rebound drops to Gardner, who strokes a simple finish home.

West Brom are looking for more here. They come forward down the right yet again and win a free kick in a good crossing position...

Brunt floats the ball into the middle, but Hennessey comes for it and punches it clear well.

YELLOW CARD! The first card of the match is shown to Dawson for a foul on Mutch.

West Brom will be delighted with how they have started this match. They are first to every 50-50 and just seem to be a step ahead of Palace all over the pitch. They seem to want this more than their visitors on the evidence of the opening 20 minutes.

Wow, what a start this is for the Baggies. They have a second inside the opening 20 minutes, and this time Gardner turns provider and Dawson gets the goal. The former delivers a free kick into the middle and Dawson is left completely unmarked in the box to plant his header into the bottom corner. It is a textbook downward header from the defender, but where was the marking?

Palace just haven't got going so far. They are all over the place and, in their current form, it is hard to see them recovering from two goals down. This match may already be beyond them!

Take nothing away from the start West Brom have made to this match, but this Palace side look like a shadow of the team we saw in the first half of the season. They are struggling to get their foot on the ball for any sustained period of time.

YELLOW CARD! Jonathan Moss comes back to a previous challenge after playing advantage to show Adebayor a yellow card for a foul on Dawson. In truth, that could well have been a red as it was high, late and nasty from the striker.

Could a dreadful start about to get even worse for Palace? Cabaye goes down and stays down following a challenge from Fletcher, and he is going to need a bit of treatment here.

Cabaye is fine to continue, and he will be key to any chance Palace have of getting back into his match. He needs to settle things down for the visitors and just get them a sustained period in possession.

What was I saying before the match about West Brom's attacking troubles? They make it 3-0 after just half an hour, and this one is the pick of the bunch so far. Rondon controls a volleyed pass into his feet before moving it out right to Sessegnon. The winger then sends an inch-perfect long pass over the top of the defence for Berahino, whose finish is delightful, cushioning a first-time left-footed volley in. Everything about that goal was sublime.

This is turning into a horror show for Palace. They have been in dreadful for ever since Christmas, but this is surely the worst of the lot so far. West Brom had only scored 24 goals all season before this game, but they have three in 31 minutes today. It is the first time that they have scored three goals all season.

Another stat which underlines just how poor this has been for Palace so far - all eight of West Brom's league goals this season have come by a single goal, yet they are on course for a rout here.

It will be interesting to see how Palace approach the rest of this game, because damage limitation is looking like their best option at the moment. They have not troubled Foster at all so far and look vulnerable almost every time West Brom come forward.

The Eagles have their first hint of a chance as a cross arrives from the right flank which Mutch meets, but the head lacks power and direction as it loops harmlessly wide.

Brunt could be in trouble here. He goes down in pain when chasing after the ball with Zaha in close attendance, although the Palace man didn't play any part in it. It looked to be how he caught he studs in the grass when running, and it doesn't look like he will be able to continue here.

WEST BROM SUB: It is a sad sight for Brunt as he is stretchered off the field to be replaced by James Chester. It looks like a nasty one for Brunt.

That injury means that there will be five minutes of added time at the end of this first half.

OFF THE POST! West Brom are inches away from a fourth before half time! They win a free kick a long way from goal and Gardner puts his foot through it, driving a low strike towards goal. It takes a deflection off Ward on the way through and spins against the foot of the post before being turned behind.

OFF THE LINE! Palace finally provide a threat as Ward reaches the byline down the left before squeezing a pass into Mutch. He in turn is able to get a shot away towards the bottom corner, but his effort is cleared off the line.

Wow, hands up who saw that coming? West Brom have this game pretty much won at the halfway stage having gone into the break with a 3-0 lead against Crystal Palace. The Baggies have struggled for goals all season, but they have been clinical so far today and deserve to be ahead so comfortably. There has only been one team in it.

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The opening goal arrived after just 12 minutes when Craig Gardner tucked home a rebound after Hennessey had pulled off an unorthodox save with his feet to keep out Rondon's powerful drive. Rondon had linked up well with Berahino to move into the shooting position, and Gardner offered some good support from midfield to snap up the loose ball for a simple finish.

Gardner turned provider eight minutes later as West Brom doubled their advantage, and it was far too easy for the Baggies. Gardner swung his cross into the middle where Dawson was waiting unmarked to plant a firm downward header into the bottom corner. The defender had not been picked up at any point, and in the end it was another relatively simple finish.

The pick of the goals was the third, as Berahino applied a brilliant finishing touch to a magnificent move. Dawson pinged the ball to the feet of Rondon, who in turn fed it out wide for Sessegnon. The winger then proceeded to send one of the best passes you will see all season over the top of the defence for Berahino, who cushioned a first-time left-footed volley past Hennessey.

KICKOFF: Palace get us back underway for the second half, and unsurprisingly Pardew has made a change at the break, with Yannick Bolasie replacing Adebayor.

The Baggies push for a fourth here as Rondon makes progress down the left before sending a cross into the box that just evades Berahino at the far post.

A lifeline for Palace? They get a goal back, and it stems from a horrendous error from Olsson. There appeared to be no danger at all with Delaney long header upfield, with Olsson seemingly in control. However, he then just stops, seemingly waiting for Foster to come out, which allows Wickham to nip in. The finish is good from the striker as he lifts it over the keeper before tucking it home, but that is a shocker from Olsson.

That goal has completely changed things here as Palace push for a second. They win a corner that Foster comes to claim but misses, and the Baggies escape with another corner.

OFF THE BAR! Great break from West Brom and they are inches away from another superb goal! Again it is Berahino who provides the shot, cutting inside before curling a beauty of an effort towards the top corner that rattles against the angle of the goal.

In the Palace corner that preceded that Berahino strike, the visitors had a decent claim for a penalty as McAuley just barged into the back of Dann when the Palace defender was about to connect with the ball. It has been an action-packed start to this second half!

This really is turning into an entertaining game - so much for my prediction of 0-0! It is open with both sides almost throwing caution to the wind and Palace in particular looking a lot more threatening than at any point in the first half.

Good work from Foster as he comes hurtling off his line to meet a loose ball after Mutch's shot had been blocked. It was a race between Foster and Bolasie, and the keeper had to get it spot on, which he just about did.

The opening 15 minutes of this second half have flown by, and while at half time it looked to be game over, right now Palace seem like they have a glimmer of hope. The next goal - and right now there looks like there will be at least one more - will be crucial, and it is Palace who look most likely to get it at the moment.

Having said that, West Brom are also looking dangerous almost every time they come forward. Rondon in particular is impressing, and he picks the ball up on the left here before feeding a teasing low ball right across the penalty area.

West Brom win a free kick in a similar position to the one that resulted in Dawson's goal, but Hennessey does really well to collect it in a crowd of bodies.

YELLOW CARD! Yohan Cabaye goes into the book for Palace for a scything challenge on Yacob, who certainly made the most of it.

West Brom have weathered that Palace storm well and now have an element of control over the game again. The visitors are carrying more of a threat now than they were in the first half, but the Baggies have at least calmed things back down.

Indeed, it is the Baggies who are looking most like scoring now. Rondon, Berahino and Sessegnon have all been good today, and it has contributed to one of the best attacking displays West Brom have produced under Pulis.

SAVE! That front three link up again here to create another shooting chance for the home side. It is Sessegnon who has the eventual effort, but it is a routine stop for Hennessey.

PENALTY SHOUT! Big penalty shout for Palace as Bolasie goes down under the challenge of Fletcher having let the ball run across his body. There was contact from Fletcher, who got nowhere near the ball, so he is very lucky to have got away with that.

SHOT! The ball drops to Ledley a good 25 yards from goal, if not more, but his shot is always rising and ends up comfortably over the crossbar.

WEST BROM SUB: The hosts make their second change of match as James McClean replaces Sessegnon.

CHANCE! Decent opening for the visitors as Cabaye is teed up just inside the area, but he leans back and sends his shot a long way off target when he might have expected to do a little better.

YELLOW CARD! Chester goes into the book for a challenge on Cabaye in which the Palace midfielder just about beat him to the ball.

CRYSTAL PALACE SUB: Palace were going to make a change anyway, and with Cabaye not moving freely after that collision he slowly limps off to be replaced by Dwight Gayle.

Oh my word, what a goal from Wickham to bring Palace back within one! A free kick into the box drops to the striker, and he unleashes a perfect first-time volley that arrows into the top corner from an angle. He couldn't have connected with or placed that shot any better. What an unbelievable strike - a goal of the season contender for sure.

CRYSTAL PALACE SUB: Pardew called for Mile Jedinak immediately after that goal, and on he comes to replace Ledley in a straight beard-for-beard swap.

Almost a chance for Wickham to complete his hat-trick as the ball breaks to him inside the area, but he can't fire his effort on target.

OFF THE LINE! Almost an equaliser for Palace as Dann attacks the ball really well only to see his header cleared off the line by Gardner!

Ward wins a free kick for Palace in a very good position, although it was a dreadful dive from him to win it. What can Palace do here...

The initial delivery is cleared as far as Ward, but he fires a first-time volley well off target.

WEST BROM SUB: A third and final change for the home side sees Sandro replace the impressive Rondon.

Palace have had a staggering 93% of the ball in the last five minutes, which may just be the most one-sided possession statistic I have ever seen. It is one-way traffic right now as West Brom look to hang on.

Palace have a free kick in a good position, but Gayle goes for goal and gets it all wrong, sending a tame effort comfortably wide.

Palace have five minutes of added time to rescue an unlikely draw from this game.

The Baggies have the ball at the right end of the pitch as far as they are concerned at the moment!

Well, I must admit that I wasn't expecting this game to be particularly good, but I couldn't have been more wrong. That was a cracking contest between these two sides, and a game of two halves if ever you'll see one. West Brom looked to be home and dry having raced into a 3-0 lead inside 31 minutes through goals from Gardner, Dawson and Berahino, but Palace fought back courtesy of a Connor Wickham brace, including one goal of the season contender, before falling just short. Magnificent game.

That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's thoroughly entertaining contest between West Brom and Crystal Palace as the Baggies just about hold off a fightback to win 3-2. I will leave you with our match report so you can remind yourself exactly how this barmy game unfolded, and be sure to stick around for reaction too. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!