An excellent point for managerless Crystal Palace at Loftus Road last weekend with Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew, seemingly, on the verge of a return to Selhurst Park.
Keith Millen looks likely to be in charge of the Eagles, however, for the trip to Aston Villa on New Year's Day and must do without skipper Mile Jedinak who has departed for the Asian Cup a tournament that is not completed until the end of January.
Villa have only scored 11 goals in the first half of the 2014/15 season but are 11/8 to keep all three points on home soil with the draw 11/5 and Palace 12/5.
Villa striker Christian Benteke who scored the only goal of the game in the reverse fixture less than a month ago is 4/1 to score the opening goal against an Eagles' side who won only one of their last 13 PL games in 2014.
Whoever replaces Neil Warnock on a permanent basis knows the priority is for the Club to maintain its elite status in English football and they remain 6/4 to be relegated and ½ to still be playing PL football at the start of the 2015/16 season.
Villa must do without Fabian Delph following his red card against Sunderland and my recommendation would be the 11/8 for Palace (Draw no bet) at BetVictor.
Palace have exactly the same amount of points (16 from 19 games) than they had this time last year when they ended the campaign in 11th place.
It might be asking a bit much for lightning to strike twice but I expect the Eagles to pick up at least a point at Villa Park against a side who scored the fewest goals (32) of those who were ever-present in the PL in 2014.
Palace to score the only goal of the game is 17/2 and to win to nil is 22/5. It would be a surprise to see too many goals at Villa Park (two or fewer is priced at 8/13) and the most popular bet we have laid in the opening salvos at BetVictor has been the 6/1 for the game to finish 1-1.
Palace visit Conference high-flyers Dover in the FA Cup on Sunday. Will Eagles' fans have a new manager in situ by the weekend? Three points against Villa would certainly help the cause in the battle for Premier League survival.
For all your latest odds, head to Bet Victor's website.
