Alan Pardew backs Crystal Palace to exploit the weaknesses of the league’s top sides, starting with Manchester United

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Giuseppe Muro14 December 2016

Alan Pardew believes the top teams in the Premier League have shown areas of weaknesses that Crystal Palace can exploit over the festive period.

Palace play Manchester United at Selhurst Park tonight and face three of the top six during a tough run over the next three weeks.

They host Chelsea on Saturday and, after a trip to Watford on Boxing Day, then meet Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on New Year’s Day.

Palace need to pick up points from those games as they look to climb the table and Pardew said: “It is a chance for us to get a big result tonight.

"I’ve seen a few chinks in the armour of the top teams. That has made us think, let’s not let them have it all their own way."

Palace appear to have turned a corner after six straight defeats by taking four points from their last two games but they sit just three points above the relegation zone.

“It is a tough run of games,” said Pardew, who is without the suspended Jason Puncheon and the injured James Tomkins tonight.

“It is not going to define our season but if we can pick up some points from this spell then after it is a lot friendlier. So it is a good opportunity.”

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