Sam Allardyce says Crystal Palace will handle pressure of Hull clash
Saturday 13 May 2017 13:33, UK
Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce expects his side to cope with the pressure of their crucial match against relegation rivals Hull.
The Eagles will secure their Premier League status for another season if they draw with the Tigers at Selhurst Park on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
That result could also relegate Hull back to the Championship, depending on the outcome of Saturday's match between Swansea and Sunderland.
Palace suffered back-to-back defeats to those two teams earlier in the season but Allardyce expects a more resilient performance from his side this weekend.
"That was a different team. Way back then was before we brought in all the players we did," he said.
"We started our run after Sunderland; we lost to Stoke and then after that started to lift the players by the new signings playing very, very well, and the players already here gaining confidence from that and growing.
"We've had big pressure games this season many times, but the pressure comes on when the games go into single figures, and now it's only two games.
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"When it's still another six, four or nine left, that alleviates the pressure somewhat, but when it's only two the pressure comes on. On the day, we've got to handle the pressure better than them and deliver a performance."
Palace suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Manchester City last time out as Allardyce was forced to name an experimental side due to a lack of defensive cover.
Mamadou Sakho is out for the season with a knee injury, while there are also concerns surrounding the availability of both Scott Dann and James Tomkins.
