Football
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Pardew says Palace's home form is key to keeping Premier League status

Alan Pardew has an unblemished away record as Crystal Palace boss but believes it is an improvement in home form that will keep the Eagles in the Premier League.

Saturday's 3-1 victory at West Ham was Pardew's fifth straight away win in all competitions since he replaced Neil Warnock in January, and also opened up an eight-point gap between Palace and the bottom three.

Despite a 100 percent win ratio on the road, a 2-1 victory over Tottenham in his first league game in charge remains Pardew's only success at home and the 53-year-old now wants to use the remaining fixtures at Selhurst Park to ensure a third straight season in the top flight.

"We have got ourselves in a position where we can do the job in terms of staying in the Premier League at home now," he said.

"We really need to address that (our home form) when we play QPR. It is always better to win in front of your own fans at home, send everyone home happy, all the little kids, because then they will come back week after week.

"It is just frustrating that we haven't replicated that at home. The home form is everything I keep telling this group of players."

Former Hammers' boss Pardew enjoyed a winning return to Upton Park as Glenn Murray scored twice before being sent off, with a Scott Dann header sandwiched between.

Palace have taken just one point out of the last nine on offer at home but Pardew cannot place a finger on why there is such a contrast in results.

"I don't know. Since I have been here performances at home have been good actually," he added.

"We have been a little bit unlucky to lose and certainly against Arsenal, but when I look at the fixtures we have we have some more favourable fixtures coming to our place and hopefully we can improve on that record."

West Ham's overall form continues to threaten the early-season work which saw Sam Allardyce's side as outside contenders for a place in Europe.

The defeat to Palace leaves them with just one win in 10 in the league and Allardyce admits he does not want results to start praying on the minds of his players.

"I think the level of performance is there but what we don't want is to drain the confidence," he said.

"That is the last thing we need as a squad. We have to keep our confidence high and believe we will win more games between now and the end of the season and try to achieve a very high standard.

"I can't just accept good performances now, I need good performances with victories. We have to make sure we put ourselves back on the winning trail and in the next two games (against Chelsea and Arsenal) that is going to be extremely difficult."

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