Crystal Palace vs Swansea preview - Pardew: This will be tough to top - 7M sport

Crystal Palace vs Swansea preview - Pardew: This will be tough to top



Posted Saturday, May 23, 2015 by PA

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew admits it will be hard for him to repeat this season's success.

Palace could finish in the top 10 of the Barclays Premier League if they defeat Swansea in the climax to their season at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Pardew took over a team that was positioned in the relegation zone when he was appointed in January, but he has transformed the Eagles' fortunes to the extent he was a candidate for manager of the season.

"I think it will be difficult for me to top this next year," Pardew said.

"I have loved the whole process we have done here. I can't think of one down time, apart from maybe a couple of results we were disappointed with.

"Going on the games since I've been here - it will be 18 on Sunday - we'd be sixth in the table and that's incredible really considering where we were.

"We're hoping for three more points on Sunday to reinforce that position and then we're hoping to build on that next season."

Pardew will take a keen interest in events at St James' Park on Sunday where his former club Newcastle host West Ham needing a victory to ensure Premiership survival.

"Newcastle is close to my heart. My players who I worked with for five years are there, a big group of them, the staff and, more importantly, the fans," Pardew said.

"That group of fans need to be in the Premier League. They need to get this season out of the way for sure and then they need to use this scare to kickstart them for next year and going forward."

Goalkeeper Julian Speroni, who on Friday signed a one-year contract extension, will be omitted from the squad in anticipation of his appearance in his testimonial match on Tuesday.

Swansea conclude their best ever Premier League campaign with a guaranteed finish of eighth and a record points total.

Victory at Selhurst Park would take them to 59 points - 12 more than their previous best in their inaugural Premier League campaign in 2011/12 - but Monk is wary of Palace being fresh from winning 3-1 at Liverpool and carrying a real forward threat in the shape of Yannick Bolasie, Jason Puncheon, Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray.

"They were fantastic against Liverpool and they've got a good blend of players, especially attacking-wise," Monk said.

"Alan Pardew has done a great job since going there from Newcastle and is building a good team.

"The run they went on when he took over and to get them where they are now shows how difficult it will be for us.

"They also have a possibility of moving up another two places in the league so they're going to be scrapping for that."

Pardew said Monk had his vote for manager of the year and the Swansea boss described that as a huge compliment.

"What he said about me meant a lot," Monk said. "He's a very experienced man and he's been great with me when I've spoken to him after games.

"It was a difficult period for him at Newcastle towards the end but you can see from the way he's managing at Palace that pressure is off him.

"It feels from the outside that it's a fresh start for him, he's taken to it well and pushed the team onto another level."



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