Could Palace be the ones to slide into the Championship?
Crystal Palace are six points above the relegation zone and seemingly in a position of safety but could they be dragged into a battle for survival?
It has been a strange season for the Eagles which can be split into four quarters. A superb start saw Roy Hodson’s men win four and draw two of their first eight games but that was followed by a run of just one point from five games before they rallied with three wins and a draw in six fixtures.
Unfortunately, the south Londoners are in another slump that has come at the wrong time of the campaign, with four points and no wins in seven matches, slipping from ninth to 14th during that time.
Six points is a sizeable buffer but the old cliche that there is ‘always one team that goes into freefall’ might ring true if they do not turn things around soon.
The good thing for Palace is that they are now set to embark on a run of games against teams around them at the wrong end of the standings, so their fate is very much in their own hands.
Up next is the visit of Newcastle United on February 22, with Steve Bruce’s men just one point better off, before a trip to 15th-placed Brighton seven days later.
Second-bottom Watford then arrive at Selhurst Park while Bournemouth in 16th will host Hodgson’s charges on March 14.
With games against Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Leicester and Tottenham to follow, it does not take an expert to realise just how important the next month is for Palace.
Former England manager Hodgson has the experience to guide his side to safety but they lack a vital ingredient – goals.
Crystal Palace have the worst goalscoring record in the Premier League and have not won since Boxing Day.
Is Roy Hodgson under pressure? #bbcfootball #cpfc pic.twitter.com/UtTKY9VQ9O
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 9, 2020
They are the lowest scorers in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign to date, with a woeful 23 in 26 games, and have bagged just five in six games since the turn of the year.
A defence that has conceded only 32 goals has kept Palace going but they will to need to pick up a few more points between now and the end of the season to stay afloat, so they need to find a way to score.
Jordan Ayew with six top-flight goals leads that category but they need more from the Ghana international and fellow African Wilfried Zaha.
Palace will probably maintain their spot in England’s top division but do not want to leave it too late to get points on the board.
