Birthday boy Benteke helps Palace beat Southampton 3-0

The Eagles are now on a six-game losing streak and news that their number one keeper is out until next year will not please the Selhurst Park faithful.

Pardew’s Palace dream could be coming to an end, though the absence of Mike Ashley from the equation makes things a lot more straightforward.

“Also, the way I am, as meticulous as I can be, I think I have been giving too much information to the team”.

And it was quickly 2-0 when Joe Ledley got a touch on Jason Puncheon’s corner, the ball rolling into the path of Tomkins, starting at right-back, and he fired past Forster. Palace have failed to keep a single clean sheet this season in the league.

‘The chairman and the board here have been fantastically supportive, ‘ Pardew said.

“There’s a responsibility on everybody in the squad to defend certain situations”.

For the large part Pardew has kept a dignified silence on the brutal sacking, which came despite him leading Southampton to the brink of a playoff place the previous season having started with a ten-point deduction as punishment for their financial woes.

“Perhaps there’s a bit of naivety in the group that we couldn’t handle the situation”. Set-plays we were calm. But unfortunately, results are everything.

“My only focus this week is to get a result”. “Sometimes you need that on the training ground”.

Crystal Palace’s Zaire-born Belgian striker Christian Benteke celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Southampton at Selhurst Park in south London on December 3, 2016. It’s a mini-crisis that we have to get through. I don’t look for reassurances going forward. “We can’t afford to lose that; we must go up there and get something”.

“I prefer to play every three days (than) to prepare one week (for) the next game”.

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Steve Mandanda is facing six weeks out, as he requires surgery on a knee injury which he picked up in training. In his favour for the visit to the blue half of Manchester this weekend is Chelsea’s away record against their hosts – they have won 11 Premier League matches at City, their best away record in the competition.