Paul Downing thriving as a leader for Walsall

The centre-back might only be 22 but he is already one of the old heads in the Walsall team.

Quickly closing in on 100 appearances for the Saddlers, Downing is also emerging as a young leader in a defence which many believed had lost a vital component in the summer with the exit of skipper Andy Butler.

Downing was subsequently named vice-captain and says he is ready to help fill the void left by his former defensive partner both on and off the field.

With seven of the side which finished Saturday's game at Leyton Orient aged 22 or under, the defender feels it is his job to set the example.

"I have got to take the responsibility on," he says. "I was given the vice-captaincy this season so I'm getting older now and more experienced. It is time to step up from what Andy did.

"I have had the experience of playing alongside him now and I have got to look after the likes of Liam Kinsella alongside me and show him the ropes. I will look to build on that this season."

While Downing wants to be a sounding board for the likes of Kinsella, Reece Flanagan and Kieron Morris, he is also eager to again be part of a mean defence.

The season might be only a handful of weeks old but the signs are the Saddlers may not miss Butler as much has had been feared.

Two clean sheets in the opening four league games is a decent platform from which to build, and the back four's strength in depth has already been tested by injuries to James O'Connor, Ben Purkiss and James Chambers.

Kinsella and Dean Holden, two players at the opposite end of their careers, have both impressed and even more pleasing for Downing is how the defence have flourished in exactly the situations they were expected to struggle.

Tom Pope, James Hanson and Darius Henderson are three of the division's more industrial strikers, the type Butler would usually have been tasked with dealing with.

Yet only Pope has enjoyed any success against the new-look Saddlers backline.

"I think that will give us confidence," said Downing. "They are proven goalscorers at this level and are scoring every week but we are managing to keep them out."

Tonight, Downing believes the pressure will be very much off the Saddlers as they test themselves against Premier League opposition in Crystal Palace.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "We had a difficult tie away last season at Stoke and Premier League teams are a cut above what we are used to.

"But at home we feel we can give anyone a game. There is no pressure on us and it will be interesting to see what kind of team selection they have.

"It is a one-off game for us in the cup and we want to progress. Definitely being at home gives us an advantage.

"It would have been a tough tie away but then again I saw the Arsenal game and they were unlucky to concede late.

"They will be disappointed with their league form but will maybe look at this game and think they have a chance to get some momentum and confidence with a win. It will be a tough battle."

Like many others in the game, Downing has watched events at Selhurst Park over the past few weeks with great interest.

But he does not believe it will have affected Palace's players.

"I don't think so," he said. "They are probably very experienced players and may have had this position before."