Premier League: Crystal Palace tempted by Sherwood

Tim Sherwood has won 13 of his 22 league matches as a manager

Crystal Palace appear increasingly likely to pick Tim Sherwood from an underwhelming list of next manager options...

Tim Sherwood has only managed 22 Premier League games but that was enough time to emerge as one of the most divisive figures in the division's dugout history.

Now, the 45-year-old is 1.625/8 to return to work at Crystal Palace months after his inevitable dismissal by Tottenham, though it can't be considered a done deal quite yet as he has drifted since peaking at 1.22 on Monday morning.

The statistics suggest that the Eagles would be getting a solid replacement for Premier League Manager of the Season Tony Pulis, whose recent departure by mutual consent caused them to crash from a high of 5.9 to 3.02/1 for relegation.

Sherwood won 13 of his 22 top-flight fixtures to achieve the best winning percentage of any boss in Tottenham's Premier League existence, lifting them from seventh upon his arrival to sixth working exclusively with the squad that he inherited. He also integrated youngsters Nabil Bentaleb and Harry Kane, who both appear to be rated by Mauricio Pochettino too.

However, you have to speak to a lot of Spurs fans to find one with anything positive to say about Sherwood's stint, the decent results and faith in youngsters overshadowed by the hasty cup exits, relentless self-promotion and public criticism of players in ensuring that his sacking wasn't mourned.

In his mind, the victories vindicated his approach regardless of the sceptical response, so the same brashness and honesty will be retained if he resurfaces at Selhurst Park. Just last week, he boasted: "There are a lot of good managers looking for work and I am certainly one of them."

Unless they can lure 50.049/1 outsider David Moyes, Palace's alternatives aren't that attractive and none offer as firm a survival guarantee as Pulis did last term.

Malky Mackay is second favourite at 2.789/5, his relationship with sporting director Iain Moody believed to aid his chances, yet while his Cardiff axing was harsh, he did leave them a point above the drop zone.

Steve Clarke is the most enticing of the plausible candidates at 17.016/1 because of his immense Premier League experience as assistant at Newcastle, Chelsea, West Ham and Liverpool and then manager at West Brom, where he was never in severe relegation danger.