West Bromwich Albion vs Crystal Palace. Carabao Cup Round 3.
The HawthornsAttendance10,818.
Tuesday 25 September 2018 19:57, UK
West Brom midfielder James Morrison may be fit to feature in the Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace at The Hawthorns on Tuesday (kick-off 8pm).
Morrison has been sidelined by a leg injury since the start of the month but played 61 minutes for the Baggies' U23 side on Friday. Albion boss Darren Moore has no other selection concerns for the third-round tie.
He rotated his squad in the previous round against Mansfield, which could mean opportunities for Gareth Barry and Oliver Burke.
Germany midfielder Max Meyer could step into Crystal Palace's starting XI. Former Baggies manager Roy Hodgson will take his Eagles to his old Hawthorns stomping ground looking to rotate his resources after Saturday's goalless Premier League draw with Newcastle.
Hodgson will hope Wilfried Zaha shakes off a minor back strain, but could still rest the influential forward, who battled through the complaint in Palace's Selhurst Park weekend stalemate. Jason Puncheon, Jairo Riedewald and Jeffrey Schlupp will all come into contention to start in the Black Country.
West Brom and Crystal Palace have met just once previously in the League Cup - the Baggies won 3-1 in December 1981.
Crystal Palace have kept clean sheets in their last two visits to The Hawthorns (W1 D1), drawing 0-0 last season in the Premier League.
West Brom have reached the fourth round of the League Cup in just four of their previous 28 campaigns.
Crystal Palace have not won consecutive away matches in the League Cup since November 1990.
This is Roy Hodgson's third match against West Brom he left the Baggies in May 2012 - he faced them twice with Palace last season, losing neither (W1 D1).
West Brom striker Jay Rodriguez has been involved in 13 goals in his last 15 appearances in the League Cup (11 goals, 2 assists).
This game very much hinges on Roy Hodgson's team selection, and in particular whether or not he chooses to rest Wilfried Zaha, which you would expect him to do. The statistics show that without him they are simply not as potent.
West Brom have got quality players and some of them could easily still be playing in the Premier League, so it would not be an enormous shock if they won. I think Hodgson will prioritise the Premier League and I fancy the Baggies to nick this.
Don Goodman predicts: 2-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
