Too good to go down?

By Chris O'Keefe

Crystal Palace's performance at Anfield yesterday gives them plenty of hope for the season ahead. Their manager has every reason to be confident of staying in the top flight this year.

However, what of the other two new boys and their rivals for relegation?

Norwich City are on a bad run of form at the moment and now find themselves bottom of the table after a 4-0 drubbing at Charlton. The Canaries are still to win a game and that is a damming statistic. In such a competitive league Norwich have to start winning otherwise their fate could be sealed as early as February or March.

Their biggest problem is in the forward line. After Darren Huckerby their striking options look bare and manager Nigel Worthington knows it.

He said: "I just want somebody who scores a goal. Somebody who when that ball comes into the box, it's a goal."

West Bromwich Albion are another side who are struggling but they have taken action try and avoid relegation by bringing Bryan Robson. He was supposed to be the saviour because of his experience in relegation battles. However Paul McCarthy writing in 'The People' has an interesting angle.

He said: "Why not get in someone with experience of success rather than failure."

The reactions of their fans were mixed and any confidence was quickly erased with a 2-1 loss at home to Middlesborough today that leaves them in the bottom three.

It's not just the new boys who are vulnerable. Blackburn are second bottom with just one win all season. Mark Hughes may be wishing he'd stayed with Wales now. Steve Wigley is also in a precarious position. Beaten 5-2 at Watford in the League Cup. They managed to finally pick up a win against Portsmouth after 11 attempts.

As for Palace their stomach for a battle and the energy they play with game after game gives them and Iain Dowie a more than sporting chance of survival. Considering they were in the bottom six of Division One this time last year, it would be possibly one of the greatest achievements in recent years.