Slav set for crucial Palace decisions

Slaven Bilic is set to make some crucial defensive decisions as players return for selection at the weekend.

The Hammers will be seeking a double over former boss Alan Pardew’s Palace at the Boelyn and he is set to select the starting X1 from his strongest squad for some time.

Both James Tomkins and James Collins are expected to be back and available for selection according to David Gold and Sam Byram is set to return  after suspension following a yellow card against Sunderland.

With both Tomkins and the former Leeds right back having missed a run of games it will be interesting to see who the manager picks to starts with the odds probably favouring Byram who has been injury-free.

Eithr way, it’s probably pad news for the visitors as Michail Antnio is released from defensive duties and should again be useful to terrorise defences with his fierce running.

Collins will almost certainly start on the bench given Slav’s  careful approach with players returning after a break of this nature although Angelo Ogbonna’s would make him difficult to break straight back in anyway.