Alan Pardew is keen to see an improved performance from his side against Arsenal on Saturday after Crystal Palace lost 2-1 to Liverpool in the FA Cup last weekend.

The SE25 boss  was disappointed with the display and the amount of possession Liverpool were allowed, something he aims to put right against the Gunners, one of the best footballing sides in the league.

“I think in terms of controlling possession that’s the least we have had in any of the games that I have been involved in here,” the Selhurst chief said.

“Liverpool was one of our worst performances under me.

“In possession we’re a lot better than that as a rule and we need to improve that against Arsenal on Saturday.

“We took the lead and thought ‘what are we going to do? We better sit back and defend a little bit’.”

Palace have won five of their eight games since Pardew took over and climbed to 13th in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone.

New signing Pape Souare made his debut against Liverpool after moving from Lille and Pardew reckons the Senegalese international will take time to settle.

“He looked like a player who had come out of Ligue One French football,” said the Eagles boss.

“Now he’ll understand the intensity of a Premier League game.

“In France you can attack, then you can slowly drift back into a defending position and then the other team will attack.

“In the Premier League that doesn’t happen, and when I’ve inherited French defenders - Debuchy was the same when he first arrived - the intensity catches them out.

“It caught him out against Liverpool, he’s got to understand that his fitness needs to improve, he’s got less time on the pass.

“He has all the tools you need to be a modern full-back, but he’s going to take time.

“He isn’t the finished article by any stretch, and probably won’t be for this whole first season.”

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