Crystal Palace boss lays no blame at McCarthy’s feet after

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew was quick to play down a touchline altercation with opposite number Manuel Pellegrini after Manchester City claimed a hotly contested 1-0 win at Selhurst Park. Pellegrini has high hopes for the Nigeria under-20 worldwide and admits the player’s development persuaded him he did not need to bring in a replacement after Edin Dzeko left for Roma.

“It is not easy to start the new season when we have players coming back at different moments”.

“I think we finished very well last season so it was important to start the way we did”.

Manuel Pellegrini: “I will answer the same as I said about Raheem [about de Bruyne]”.

Maybe the Nigerian, 19 next month, who was signed previous year from Taye Academy in his home country, will never contribute anything of any significance again for City.

“It was a tough game for the team and Palace is a strong team but we are better and that’s why we were able to hold on till the 90th minute, before I came in and scored”, he added.

“We can take confidence that we played well against a side that have won five out of five and not conceded a goal and created chances against them”.

The game could well be marred by an injury to star man Sergio Aguero after he was forced off, though it looks like it isn’t too serious.

Pellegrini is not happy about the kick to the knee.

He said: “The arrival of Cabaye has give us a player who technically can make the first pass on turnovers crucial”.

“Silva is out for tomorrow as I think it would be a risk for him to take another knock”.

In a scrappy game, Yaya Toure then found himself in the referee’s book after another poor challenge on James McArthur.

“I told him to go and score a goal”. I will try to do my best in in training and in games if I am introduced.

The victor proved to be a suggestion that this Manchester City side is on the verge of something special, having picked up 15 points from 15, becoming the only side so far in the Premier League and even all of Europe to not have lost a single match or drawn as well. Kelechi is a very young player – he’s just 18 years old. “It’s an important gap”. Indeed, I did this corresponding fixture for Radio 5 live last season when Palace won 2-1.

Bamford needs to be playing football on a consistent basis if he is to continue his development, and Chelsea may consider ending his loan deal at Palace if Pardew overlooks the attacker every week.