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Alan Pardew: Norwich will not have it easy in crunch relegation fight, says Crystal Palace boss

Palace have not won in the Premier League since before Christmas

Matt Gatward
Thursday 07 April 2016 15:51 BST
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Alan Pardew reacts on the sideline during Crystal Palace's 2-1 loss to Liverpool
Alan Pardew reacts on the sideline during Crystal Palace's 2-1 loss to Liverpool

Alan Pardew believes that Norwich City will find it a tough proposition when they visit Selhurst Park on Saturday - despite the fact that his Crystal Palace side have lost their last six home games.

“The fans are up for this game,” Pardew said at his Thursday press conference, “and I think Norwich will find it difficult. It can be very loud and intimidating at Selhurst Park and they will have to try to deal with it.”

However, Pardew does admit that Norwich’s little run of form is not ideal from Palace’s point of view. “It doesn’t concern me,” he said, “but it is more difficult to play a team who’ve won two games. It could easily have been a loss [last weekend against Newcastle]. It was a tight game and I expect this one to be too. I don’t see this game as critical, but it is important. I haven’t needed to say anything to my players, they’ve said it to me by the way they’ve trained. You can see a real determination and commitment to the group.”

So does Pardew see the priority as halting Norwich’s mini-run and taking a point or getting that much-needed victory? “Our aim is very much to get a win, our run is well-documented. That win would be something we try to create via a process of playing good football. We need a victory - and let’s hope it comes Saturday. We want our crowd rip-roaring behind us.”

The rip-roaring crowd was a noticeable part of Palace’s early season feel-good factor but the mood at Selhurst Park has changed - understandably admits Pardew. “It’s natural for a crowd - particularly after our start - to have expectations raised. Nevertheless, they will be nervous on Saturday and they can’t do anything anything about it. We can. We are confident, in the last two or three games we have been substantially better. We can control the outcome but we want them to create the best atmosphere possible.

“It’s a key game. For them to beat us, they will get great momentum but we don’t want that. We need to push Norwich and force them into errors. We’ve got ourselves into this situation and we can get out of it.

“The disappointment for me has been our home form. Some of our performances have been terrific but we don’t feel we have had much justice at home. A bit more luck and things would have been different. There are too many times we have come off the pitch disappointed.”

Palace will give a late fitness test to Emmanuel Adebayor who is struggling for Saturday’s game but will definitely be back by early next.They welcome back everyone else apart from long-term absentees James McArthur and Brede Hangelaand.

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