Roy Hodgson is a ‘candidate for manager of the season’

When the former Albion boss took over at Selhurst Park, the Eagles had lost their first seven games of the season without scoring a goal. Now they have a chance of finishing in the top half.

Moore actually veered towards Burnley’s Sean Dyche when pressed on the matter, and Hodgson himself echoed those thoughts.

“There are so many this year, and a lot of managers have done a good job,” said the Palace boss. “The three teams that have come up have all done brilliantly well, and Sean Dyche has had so many commendations and rightly so.”

Hodgson’s impact in Croydon, the place he was born, will not have surprised many Albion fans, who remember his season and a half at The Hawthorns fondly.

The former England boss has turned Palace’s fortunes around in emphatic fashion with a team that plays to his squad’s strengths.

When Christian Benteke was out of form, he adapted, and stuck Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend up front to pose a different problem for opposition defences.

But they flourish because of the solid base behind them.

Zaha may be the one who catches the eye, but Luka Milivojevic in defensive midfield is just as important, as are the two centre-backs behind him.

“I am very proud of what the players and the staff have done,” said Hodgson. “Of course it is the players who get the credit, but the club is also about the team behind the team and everyone has done a great job, and I shall be grateful that it has gone so smoothly for me and the team because of what has gone on in the background.”

Hodgson wants to sign off the season in style, but he will have no joy beating the Baggies.

“It will be a strange day for me, Steven Reid and Dean Kiely because we spent a happy time there and there are a lot of people there that I worked with,” said Albion’s former boss.

“I am very disappointed that their last game in the Premier League will be against a team I am managing.”

But Hodgson is aware that Albion will be no walkovers following their revival under Moore.

“We are now seeing the real West Brom team, who everyone says should be more towards the top than the bottom,” said Hodgson.

“He has done a fantastic job, there is no question of that. It is not my role or responsibility to say he should get the job.”

Palace have Connor Wickham, Scott Dann and Bakary Sako unavailable for the game. Jason Puncheon and Joel Ward face late fitness tests.