Crystal Palace skipper Mile Jedinak’s return to Premier League action ended in the cruelest of fashions – but he still sees the positives.

Having pushed table-topping Manchester City to the dying stages, Palace hearts were broken when City substitute Kelechi Iheanacho stabbed home a 90th minute winner.

After creating numerous chances in the match and holding tight for nearly all of the game the result was a bitter blow for Palace to take.

Jedinak said: "The boys are a little bit down. The gaffer has told us to pick our heads up in the changing room, but it is not the nicest way to lose a football game - particularly when we took it right to them and we were unlucky not to take anything from it.”

The 31-year-old added: "But t shows how close we came today and how far we've come.

“It's still a work in progress and we will make sure we keep doing our bit to try to get up there and keep maintaining those levels that have seen us get to this point so far."

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Injury was not the only issue that has faced the Australian international recently as Palace chairman Steve Parish had agreed a transfer fee with Stoke City in the August transfer window, only for the move to break down over personal terms.

Eagles manager Alan Pardew later admitted, after the window closed, that Jedinak was "a massive character and player" for the club and wanted him in his squad.

Jedinak, who came on as an 80th minute substitute on Saturday to make his first appearance since the win over Aston Villa last month, said: "People are going to say what they are going to say. It's someone's opinion and it's nice that it's come from the gaffer.

"But I work my socks off every day to try to get in this team and will continue to do so. It's always the way I've seen things and done things and I'll continue to do that as long as I'm here.

"This past week I've just re-integrated back with the group after the slight little niggle I had, but it's great to be back part of it and great to be among the boys today.

"It’s great to be part of it, you support the boys 100 per cent whenever they are given the opportunity, and Yohan [Cabaye] and James [McArthur] had a good game today - the boys have done fantastically."

Alan Pardew takes his side to Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday for the early TV kick-off.

And it is a game that AFC Asian Cup winner Jedinak says is a good opportunity to forget the nature of the Man City loss.

"Spurs is another away game - our away form has been great and we hope it continues," he said.

"Hopefully we can respond - it's a good game to have. We're looking for that response and hopefully we can get it and come away with three points."