Last year: 18th, Premiership
Ground: Selhurst Park
Capacity: 26,400
Manager: Ian Dowie
(20 months, W25, D15, L28)

PALACE are as short as 5-1 to win the Championship title but their detractors point out that even if Andy Johnson stays at Selhurst Park this season, lain Dowie has more or less the same side that finished sixth two years ago - but without Wayne Routledge.
However, that doesn’t tell the whole story When Dowie took over in December 2003, Palace were lurking in the nether regions of the division and looking like relegation candidates

One remarkable reverse of form later, and the Eagles were beating West Ham in the Play-Off final.

Relegated teams rarely prosper, but if Dowie isn’t tempted by the first Premiership vacancy that comes along and Johnson - by some miracle - stays, Palace should be there or thereabouts come May. Play-Off candidates.

We say: 4th 6-1

Derby
Last year: 4th
Ground: Pride Park
Capacity: 33,597
Manager: Phil Brown
(new for this season)

FOLLOWING their near miss in the Play-Offs last season, the Rams are 6-1 to be promoted, a welcome turnaround after being as short as 7-2 for the drop this time last year.
They Secured their Play-off place with a final day victory over Preston, only to lose 2-0 at Deepdale a week later.

Despite interest from Sunderland, Polish international striker Grzegorz Rasiak is staying and after 16 goals last term, is a 22-1 shot for the Golden Boot. Manager Phil Brown has also turned down a Wolves bid for playmaker Inigo Idiakez.

At the other end, Brown has brought in keeper Kevin Poole and defenders Marc Edworthy and Andrew Davies to shore up what was a poor defence last term, shipping more than any side bar Plymouth and the bottom six.

We say: 5th 20-1