Alan Pardew hits back at Sam Allardyce after Crystal Palace defeat

Alan Pardew rejected the suggestion Crystal Palace took it easy against Newcastle, describing Sam Allardyce's pre-match comments as "prehistoric".

Sunderland's relegation rivals moved out of the bottom three with a precious three points thanks to Andros Townsend's second-half strike at St James' Park on Saturday.

Palace squandered the chance to equalise when Yohan Cabaye saw his penalty saved by Karl Darlow, and Pardew was in combative move when asked about Allardyce's suggestion his players would have been "on the pop" all week after reaching the FA Cup final.

He said: "He hasn't got a case - just send him the video. They're prehistoric comments. I don't know what era he's in. Three or four of my players don't drink. Perhaps he meant Coca-Cola.

"It's nonsense."

Cabaye had scored his previous four penalties in the Premier League before facing Darlow, and Pardew felt the "game died" for his side after they failed from the spot.

"We got a penalty and that's where the game died for us. It would have made it a very interesting end if we had scored," he added.

"We don't miss penalties, and it was an unusual one. He didn't hit it as he would have liked and it gave the goalkeeper a chance. We are pretty efficient usually.

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"I thought we were the better side in the first half and in the little spell we had we should have scored. But we didn't and then in the second half they came out, reacted, and scored right at the end of their good spell, which was a plus for them.

"It was a better Newcastle team than the one we played earlier this season."

The home crowd had grown frustrated with perceived time wasting from Palace before Townsend fired the hosts in front.

But Pardew, who returned to St James' Park for the first time since leaving as manager in December 2014, denied he instructed his team to slow things down.

"There was nothing to antagonise the crowd, why would I want to do that? I just wanted to win the game," he continued.

"I actually thought we were too slow on some of the things we were doing and told them to hurry up in the second half because it was antagonising the crowd and that's the last thing you want to do at St James'.

"It's a tough result for us and a great result for Newcastle, and I'm pleased for their fans and the players I managed here. Good luck to them."

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And on the reaction he received from the Newcastle supporters on his return, Pardew added: "It was pretty muted really.

"I have tried to be respectful since I left, and I tried to be respectful when I was here and do the best job I could under the regime I was given."