Pardew wants to lay down early marker against Palace
West Brom boss Alan Pardew is eyeing an instant impact as he prepares to face former club Crystal Palace.
The 56-year-old was sacked by the Eagles last December after six wins from his final 36 matches and spent 11 months out of work.
He will take charge of the Baggies for the first time after replacing the axed Tony Pulis on Wednesday.
Albion are winless in their last 12 top flight games and sit two points above the relegation zone, winning just twice in their last 23 league outings, but Pardew is hoping for an immediate impact.
“My experience is that you have to put your marker down as a manager. When I’ve gone into football clubs I’ve managed to do that and had a good response initially. I’d like to think I’ll do that here,” he said.
“You need a bit of luck, of course, and just try and cover as much as you can, without overfeeding the players. You can overfeed them with information and detail, it’s about getting the balance right, get the right detail in them.
“It’s a game close to my heart because obviously Palace, I have a long long history with as a player and a manager.
“The players in their dressing room, I think I signed most of them with a new contract or brought them to the football club and I have a strong affinity with the staff there as well.
“So on that side of it, that will be slightly strange but my determination to win will be no different. It will be as normal as it is and they know how much I want to win.”
Kieran Gibbs is a doubt with a thigh problem after he came off in the 2-2 draw against Newcastle on Tuesday while Matt Phillips is struggling with a hamstring injury.
Nacer Chadli (hip), Chris Brunt (calf) and James Morrison (Achilles) are out.
Meanwhile, first-team coach Gerry Francis has been offered the chance to stay on under Pardew but assistant head coaches Mark O’Connor and Ben Garner have left the club.