February 14, 2001 12:14: Liverpool 5 Crystal Palace 0

In a season littered with ups and downs, Crystal Palace will hope to hit the heights against West Brom after their sinking against Liverpool.

No Eagles fan will want to need reminding of last week's events at Anfield. And the old clich about concentrating on the league' will grate on the nerves as much as any mention of Palace's 5-0 humbling.

But, as manager Alan Smith has frequently admitted, league form has always been his priority.

With Palace sitting just six points above the relegation zone, and 17 away from a play-off place, their season is still far from over.

For a side who have beaten three Premiership teams already this season, the "R" word is scarcely worth thinking about.

But Smith will remember the last time he took the Eagles to a League Cup semi-final.

After defeat against none other than Liverpool in the Coca Cola Cup semi of 1995, Palace were relegated from the Premiership, finishing fourth from bottom.

But if Palace could start a winning run now, a play-off position may not be completely out of the question.

And any Eagles fan looking torwards the hallowed top six position will notice West Bromwich Albion in the thick of the promotion action.

Palace's opponents in this Saturday's Selhurst Park clash are currently in fourth place, seven points shy of an automatic promotion place.

Gary Megson's men have had a complete turn around in fortunes since the two sides last met in September.

Palace's 1-0 defeat at the Hawthorns came just days after the West Brom boss told the chairman his side wasn't strong enough to mount a challenge in division one.

But the Baggies' steady rise in form has mirrored that of their star striker Lee Hughes.

The ginger goal-machine's tally at 17 goals is second only to the 23 amassed by Fulham's Louis Saha in the division's goal scoring charts.

But level-pegging on 17 strikes for the season is one Clinton Morrison.

The 21-year-old Eagle has out shone his Brummie adversary, thanks to his stunning efforts in the cups. But neither have had any shortage of Premiership admirers, and should they square off on Saturday there should be no shortage of goals either.

Meanwhile, Morrison is facing a difficult choice of whether to wait for an England opportunity or choose to represent the Republic Ireland or Jamaica at international level instead.

Sven-Goran Eriksson should take note.

Carl Gunaratnam