Having only been promoted to the Championship this season, Bristol City have had a truly remarkable campaign in the second tier of English football, but Gary Johnson's men will not enjoy their invitation to the Palace on Saturday (ko 12.15pm Sky Sports 1).

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Punters could have got long odds on City going up at the start of the season and they are now still available at 4/1, but unfortunately for them they have run out of juice at the wrong time, giving up first place and then automatic promotion with a desperate return of just two wins in the last 11 matches.

City did at least finish on a high by overcoming Preston 2-1 on the last day of the season but other results did not go their way and now they face play-off specialists Crystal Palace who have hit top form just when it matters.

At this stage in the season it's all about which side has the form and the momentum to go all the way and Neil Warnock has got the Eagles flying at the best possible time. When Warnock first took over Palace were in danger of going down but in a strangely similar pattern to when Iain Dowie took over in December 2003, the south London side have rediscovered their 'bouncebackability', stringing together a series of gritty 1-0 wins before hitting an ominous five unanswered goals against Burnley last weekend.

Dowie's Palace went all the way to the Premier League and, four years on, Warnock knows what it takes to do the same, having taken Sheffield United up in 2006, and having won four previous play-off contests with Notts County, Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle.

Palace are 2/1 to return to the Premier League and that is well worth an investment given wily Warnock's play-off record, as is the 5/6 about the Londoners overcoming City on Saturday.

Verdict: 2pts Crystal Palace to win playoffs @ 2/1; 3pts Crystal Palace to beat Bristol City @ 5/6  

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