Saturday 31 January 2015 20:14, UK
Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has admitted his side were nowhere near their best in their 1-0 loss at home to Everton.
Romelu Lukaku’s second minute goal proved to be the match winner at Selhurst Park in a game where Palace had plenty of possession but failed to create many clear cut chances.
The defeat was Pardew’s first since taking charge of the Eagles last month, with the Palace boss left frustrated at how his side fell to their first loss in seven matches in all competitions.
“A disappointing start cost us the game really,” Pardew told Sky Sports. “To concede the first goal again, which we can’t keep doing, I feared might hurt us today and it gave Everton a little boost.
“Other than that they didn’t really trouble us until the end, when we were throwing bodies forward and trying to force the game.
“Our management of the game today was not of the standard that we’ve been showing, but that’s going to happen in the Premier League.”
Palace saw Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh taken off injured midway through the first half after a clash of heads with Seamus Coleman, with Jordon Mutch introduced for his Eagles debut.
Pardew says Chamakh "should be OK" to feature in next week’s trip to Leicester City despite his damaged nose, but believes losing the forward hampered his side.
“We lacked a bit of quality, with the loss of Cham probably having an impact on the game,” Pardew added. “But no excuses, we just didn’t produce out best today.
“He gives us the nous around the box, the clever pass, turn and movement, and when we went off we didn’t have someone able to do that.
"If you concede the first goal there’s all sorts of tests on the pitch and we didn’t come through some of those today, but the commitment and energy we showed today set us in good stead."
