This article is part of Football FanCast's In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets...

It is a well-documented thing amongst Crystal Palace supporters.

The south London club only has one senior right-back within their ranks in Joel Ward, having failed to sign a replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka following his £50m move to Manchester United.

At the very least, it does seem as if the Eagles are looking to amend their summer mistake by targeting a right-back in January - two names from the Championship have cropped up as potential recruits.

West Brom teenager Nathan Ferguson, and Nottingham Forest's Matty Cash.

In the latter's case, Everton and Southampton have also been monitoring the Forest man, with the Toffees said to be planning a £12m bid for the 22-year-old as reported by The Sun (print version, November 15, page 74).

With Ferguson, both Palace and Tottenham are keeping tabs on the 19-year-old's situation at the Hawthorns.

West Brom's No.36 is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, and the Baggies are considering the decision to cash in on him this January to avoid losing him on the cheap this summer.

So, who would be the better option for Palace out of the two?

Well, in terms of the statistics, Cash betters Ferguson in almost every department.

Albeit three years older, Cash has scored two goals and recorded two assists from right-back this term, while also making an impressive 2.8 tackles and 3.5 clearances per game.

On the other hand, Ferguson has just one goal and one assist, while averaging 2.4 tackles per game.

So, on the basis of those numbers, Cash would be the better signing, right?

Well, while the Forest man has unquestionably enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, the Eagles should in fact sign Ferguson for one reason - his ability to play at right-back and left-back.

As aforesaid, Ward is Palace's only right-back. However, it must also be noted that Patrick van Aanholt is the club's only senior left-back as well, so the full-back areas are extremely weak for the Eagles.

In that respect, if Ferguson - who has made nine appearances at left-back and four at right-back - was brought to Selhurst Park this winter, Hodgson would have cover in both areas, thus killing two birds with one stone.

Cash looks substantially better than Ferguson on paper, although it is the teenager's versatility that should see him favoured by those in charge of recruitment in SE25.