Palace kings as Pardew wins first Premier League match in charge

Crystal Palace have moved out of the Premier League bottom three after new boss, and former player Alan Pardew motivates a 2-1 win over London rivals Spurs.

Without Yannick Bolasie and influential captain Mile Jedinak who are away on international duty at the Asia Cup, the hosts. The first quarter could have brought a goal apiece, after Christian Eriksen fired wide from close range after good work by Kyle Walker. Two minutes later James McArthur headed a Dwight Gayle cross over the bar at the other end.

However, Spurs were claiming a penalty ten minutes earlier after Nacer Chadli appeared to hit the deck early in the area after a challenge from Damien Delaney. A scrappy first half was capped by the last clear chance after Eagles striker Glenn Murray went through on goal, only for visiting custodian Hugo Lloris to save well with his legs.

Four minutes into the first half, Harry Kane struck the opener after Chadli poked a pass through to him on the edge of the area. Shifting the ball to his right to create space he fired low and hard across goal into the bottom left hand corner.

Immediately after, Palace could have been level. A well worked free-kick culminated in Scott Dann, who bagged a brace in his last outing against Dover in the FA Cup, headed a ball back across goal, only for Gayle to strike straight at Lloris.

The breakthrough came after the hour mark for the home side, after Benjamin Stambouli was adjudged to have clipped Joe Ledley, and referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. With usual penalty taker, Jedinak away, up stepped Gayle with supreme confidence and fizzed low into the left corner.

With 15 minutes remaining off went Murray for Wilfried Zaha, and his energy and direct running caused no end of problems for Spurs. As demonstrated four minutes later when he beat two defenders as he cut in from the left and teed it across the edge of the area, only for Jason Puncheon to hook it excellently into the bottom right hand corner to give Palace the lead.

Spurs rallied with the clock ticking down, the Pardew’s team showed resilience to hold them off. Kane may well have won a penalty in the dying minutes after Ledley slid in irrationally and the Spurs striker was perhaps unlucky not to win anything.

As the final whistle blew, the din ringing around Selhurst Park was deafening, with Pardew’s record so far at 100 per cent.