Palace director of football Bob Dowie is reported to have travelled to West Brom on Saturday to watch wantaway striker Robert Earnshaw.
Ultimately the player didn’t take part in the FA Cup match against Reading, but Dowie is believed to have been keeping tabs on him as a potential successor to Andrew Johnson should Palace be forced to sell the England man.
Earnshaw has made no secret of his desire to leave The Hawthorns. Despite playing a major part in keeping the Baggies in the Premiership last season, the Welsh forward has found himself out of Bryan Robson’s plans this term.