After back to back wins against Chelsea and Cardiff, Crystal Palace are tantalisingly close to avoiding relegation and enjoying another season in the Premier League.

If the Eagles stay up, it would be their most successful season since the Premier League was formed in 1992.

Palace lie in 14th - seven points ahead of Fulham in 18th and nine points ahead of bottom placed Sunderland, who have two games in hand. 

So 42 points would virtually guarantee safety while the magical threshold of 40 should be just enough.

So can they do it? Where are the last remaining points going to come from? We scoured the length and breadth of south London for some expert predictions.... 


Tim Ashton, Croydon Guardian sports editor

Your Local Guardian:

There is no doubt in my mind that Crystal Palace will be playing in the Premier League next season.

The impetus is with them and I can see another three points coming from Villa’s visit this weekend – and that would be that.

Palace should not worry about what the teams below them are doing, but as fans we can – so I can’t see where any of the bottom three will get the points they need to overhaul Palace. Norwich run the risk of getting pulled in to the scrap to avoid relegation and, given their horrendous recent form, so to do Villa.

But momentum is a huge thing in football, and there is massive momentum behind Palace right now.


Jim Piddock, star actor, writer, producer and Palace fan

Your Local Guardian:

Jim says: I'm not one for predictions because I never want to jinx things, but I'll make an exception here.

Based on recent information I received from a professional football statistician who claimed that Palace currently have a 1.01 per cent chance of getting relegated, I'll go out on a limb and say we'll win every remaining game 1-0 and end up in 8th place with 52 points.

Furthermore, due to a shock ruling by the Premier League that Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Spurs, Manchester United have all violated the new Financial Fair Play rules and are penalised with a large points deduction, we qualify for the Champions League next season.

Predicted points = 52


Paul Green, News Shopper sports editor

Palace 2-0 Aston Villa
Everton 3-1 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Palace 0-4 Man City
Palace 1-1 Liverpool
Fulham 1-2 Palace

Predicted points = 42


Kevin Day, comedian and television presenter

Your Local Guardian:

Kevin refused to predict the scores but said: "I would love to help but I don't want to risk punishment by the universe. If I predict that we will stay up and we don't then I know several people who will blame me for ever.

If I predict that we will go down and we do then those very same people will say that I only predicted relegation to avoid tempting fate thus alerting fate to my cunning plan. Another excuse to blame me for ever.

None of it is logical but neither is only turning left out of the Pawsons Road Bunny-hole for 30 years.

If you force me, I will predict we will wear a red and blue kit against Villa. Then I'm saying nothing till July.


Jim Daly, stand up comedian and creator of the Five Year Plan Fanzine

Your Local Guardian: Fanzine editor Jim Daly forsees penalty drama

Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
Everton 2-1 Palace
West Ham 0-0 Palace
Palace 1-2 Man City 
Palace 1-0 Liverpool
Fulham 0-2 Palace

Predicted points = 44

Jim says: I'm famously bad at predictions so except none of these to be correct but I do have a feeling Palace will be ok. There's an air of confidence about the team right now and everything is being done with the air of (date I say it) a normal football club.

Jason Puncheon will continue to be key, as will the likes of Joel Ward and Damien Delaney who have been brilliant but if the returning Marouane Chamakh can hit the ground running Palace will be sitting pretty (unlike his hairline).


Joshua Barrie, News Shopper reporter

Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
Everton 3-0 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Palace 0-4 Man City
Palace 0-2 Liverpool
Fulham 2-3 Palace

Predicted points = 41 points


Matt Woosnam, Woosie's Words columnist and Five Year Plan fanzine online editor

Your Local Guardian:

Palace 2-0 Aston Villa
Everton 2-0 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Palace 0-1 Man City
Palace 0-1 Liverpool
Fulham 1-2 Palace

Predicted points= 41

Woosie says: A massive 41 points - who would have predicted that not so long ago?

Palace must find a few goals from somewhere and the most likely source of those is currently the in-form Jason Puncheon. His pace to counter against Man City and Liverpool in particular will be essential to take the pressure off the back four; and of course to put the ball in the back of the net. 

The reason Palace will stay up is partly because the teams in the bottom half of the table have largely capitulated, appointed the wrong managers and been undone by poor tactics.

On the flip side, Palace have been sturdy and solid at the back whilst also finding something more on the attack in recent weeks. They played the long game rather than the short term gung ho approach and it appears to be working. Fingers crossed.


Patrick Grafton Green, News Shopper reporter

Palace 2-0 Aston Villa
Everton 2-0 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Palace 0-2 Man City
Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Fulham 1-1 Palace

Predicted points = 39


Simon Dale, Cronx brewery

Your Local Guardian:

Palace 1-1 Aston Villa
Everton 2-1 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Palace 0-3 Man City
Palace 0-2 Liverpool
Fulham 0-2 Palace

Predicted points = 39

Simon says: Five more points from our remaining fixtures, with the only win coming away from home at Fulham on the last day of the season.

Having said that, I win £100 if we stay up so we’ll probably lose them all and get relegated.


Paul Darville, Croydon Guardian horse racing tipster and Palace fan

Palace 2-0 Aston Villa

Everton 3-1 Palace
West Ham 1-1 Palace
Palace 1-1 Man City
Palace 1-3 Liverpool
Fulham 0-2 Palace

Predicted points = 42

Paul says: Eight more points, two more clean sheets to take us to the grand total of 12 clean sheets for the season.

Liverpool to seal the title  at Selhurst and join the invading hordes of Palace fans who are celebrating safety.

A party at Fulham on the final day of the season would be nice, but the main aim after Saturday has to be a relaxed end to the season for the first time in what feels like decades! Arise Sir Tony.

 

Alex White, Holmesdale Radio presenter.

Palace 1-0 Aston Villa

Everton 1-0 Palace

West Ham 1-1 Palace

Palace 0-2 Man City

Palace 1-1 Liverpool

Fulham 0-1 Palace

Predicted points: 42

Alex says: Are we safe? Based on our current points total, probably. Do I think Mr Pulis and the team will have a mirroring mindset; absolutely not. Pulis has spoken this week about even after two fantastic wins we still remain in the mix. With the other teams run ins we certainly have every chance to stay up and if we were it somehow slip into the bottom three it would be catastrophic looking at the table now.

It seems very bizarre that we have made the job so relatively stress free so far. I hope we don't take anything for granted because after all were Crystal Palace and we tend to make things tricky for ourselves. What an immense season though and it is extremely scary to think where we'd be now under Holloway, close to the three points we were on I'd assume.

 


Andy Bloss, Croydon Guardian reporter and Eagle Eye radio show presenter:

Your Local Guardian:

Palace 1-1 Aston Villa       
Everton 1-2 Palace                        
West Ham 0-1 Palace        
Palace 0-2 Man City                      
Palace 1-1 Liverpool           
Fulham 1-1 Palace               

Predicted points = 43

Andy says: I have never known Palace to finish a job off with a couple of games spare. We just don’t do comfortable. Do we?

However we seem to be able grind results under Pulis so nightmares of a late Danny Higgingbottom goal for Southampton in 2005 or a last minute costly foul from Mikele Leigertwood against Charlton the same year don’t look like repeating themselves.

I want to believe we can stay up, and we are almost there. But this is Palace, Chamakh has probably been ineligible all season.

Ben Nagle, Holmesdale Radio presenter

Palace 2-1 Aston Villa

Everton 2-0 Palace

West Ham 1-1 Palace

Palace 0-2 Man City

Palace 1-4 Liverpool

Fulham 0-2 Palace

Predicted points: 41

Ben says: Tony Pulis has approached questions from the press perfectly this week. 'It isn't done yet', is the general message from the Welshman.

You get the feeling that Ian Holloway could have slipped up, said that he was 'burstin', ab'slutely burstin' with his team, and then we fall into the abyss and become a laughing stock for thinking we were safe.

We're not, but looking at my predictions above, it won't be long until everyone is agreed that Crystal Palace will be a Premier League team in the 14/15 season. How good does that sound? We've nearly proved everyone wrong.


What do you think? Give your predictions by leaving in the comment box below or email ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk.

>> See the Croydon Guardian's Crystal Palace page for Eagles news, comments, the Eagle Eye podcast and the latest Premier League news.