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West Brom vs Crystal Palace: Alan Pardew’s inside info could prove crucial

Thanks to a bizarre turn of events, Albion’s new boss knows more about the visiting team than his own.

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Alan Pardew

This time last year, Alan Pardew was in charge of Crystal Palace.

But after 11 months out of the game, his first game in charge of the Baggies, and his first chance to impress The Hawthorns crowd, is against his former team.

“It’s strange, football works like that,” said Pardew. “I know the manager (Roy Hodgson) very well. He is doing a good job – they are in the best place they’ve been all season.

“It’s a group of players I know very well and a lot of people I love in the dressing room.

“It will be different for me personally but it’s not about me, it’s about West Brom and I’ll do everything I can to win this game.”

Pardew may have some inside information on this weekend’s opponents up his sleeve that could give Albion an edge, but he’s only had two days to impart any wisdom on his new squad.

He promised to get the Baggies on the front foot this season, but admitted it may be difficult to change the style too much for this game. However, he has been preparing in the background before his unveiling.

“It’s been 11 months out for me so looking forward to working with the team,” he said. “I’ve done a little bit of homework on the group, I’ve heard nothing but good things.

“Confidence is perhaps a little low at the moment and hopefully we can get over that quickly.”

Albion enjoyed their largest gate of the season for Gary Megson’s send-off on Tuesday night and considering Pardew said all the right things at his unveiling the following day, there could be a similar positive atmosphere at The Hawthorns tomorrow.

“It was a good attendance on Tuesday night,” he said.

“I saw that, that is great. When you are on a difficult run you just want to lift the club.

“I hope I can do that. I can’t do that physically or by playing because unfortunately my agility has gone.

“Hopefully me and (first-team coach) John (Carver) can get into the players and I can get a response from them.

“I hope I do because I genuinely feel there is more talent in the dressing room than they are delivering and they probably feel that too.”

Pardew believes there is talent in the squad and said questions for the transfer window were five weeks away.

“What I do know is that the group I have now is what I have now,” he said.

“My focus is on Saturday and after that it will be the next one.

“We have two or three injuries we hope we can clear up quickly.”

James Morrison (Achilles), Nacer Chadli (thigh) and Craig Dawson (knee) are still sidelined. But there are also doubts hanging over Kieran Gibbs, who came off in midweek with a gash to his thigh, Matt Phillips, who was limping at the end of the Newcastle game, and Chris Brunt, who missed that game with a thigh strain.