New manager Joe Royle takes his side into a league game for the first time against Crystal Palace tomorrow and faces and old friend. He and Eagles' manager Trevor Francis go back a long way, even sharing a house at one stage.

Town will be without Pablo Couñago who misses the first of three games for his sending off at Reading two weeks' ago. Darren Bent looks likely to replace him after scoring coming off the bench on Thursday.

Marcus Bent is on the way back after a back problem and the biggest worry is over John McGreal who has a calf injury sustained in the Slovan Liberec win. Thomas Gaardsøe is his likely replacement.

The new manager says he is not making any rash promises but feels his side are capable of closing the gap between themselves and the top sides in the division: "I'm not going to make silly statements about us catching them but we can soon put a run together and start challenging the top group.

"Portsmouth have not had their bad patch yet and we have seen with Arsenal how things can change. A couple of weeks ago people were talking about how they could go the whole season without being beaten, then they lose four in a row. Anything can happen in football."

For Palace captain Curtis Fleming is out with a a knee injury picked up at Stoke. Darren Powell has had treatment for an ankle knock throughout the week while George Cooper faces a fitness test.

Wayne Routledge, Palace's Darren Ambrose, is certainly out, having damaging ankle ligaments in the Brighton match last week.

Defender Kit Symons is still a few weeks away from being ready while keeper Nic Michopoulos has had his loan extended by Burnley. Alex Kolinko, recently slapped by Francis, is more likely to continue in goal.

The danger man is clearly Andy Johnson who has scored hat-tricks in his last two matches, and also notched a goal against Town for Birmingham in the Worthington Cup semi-final two years ago.

Midfielder Haydn Mullins is a player often linked with Town over the years.

Palace have played a number of formations in recent games but are expected to use the 4-3-3 employed against Walsall in midweek.

Likely Squad: Marshall, Makin, Hreidarsson, McGreal, Gaardsøe, Brown, Venus, Holland, Magilton, Clapham, Ambrose, T Miller, George, Armstrong, D Bent, Wright, Wilnis and Pullen.

Photo: Action Images

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