Pulis: Eagles’ rise begins tonight

Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis is aware his team must turn the corner and clinch their first home win since August 31 when they take on West Ham in tonight’s Premier League match (8pm, live on BT Sport 1).

The Eagles go into the London derby at Selhurst Park in desperate need of points as they lie bottom of the standings, six points from safety.

Palace have mustered just four of their current seven points at home this season.

“We have two games at home and we need to win our own games,” Pulis said yesterday.

“If we get the crowd behind us, which I don’t doubt, and we get some breaks, then we can do well.

“We are in desperate need of taking results to stay in the Premier League.”

Tonight’s match will mark Pulis’s first home game since taking over the London outfit last week.

“I’m looking forward to the atmosphere and being a local derby, it gives it a bit of spice,” he said. “We need everything from everybody. We need this group to get together. We need to stay in the game if we can.”

West Ham go into the match on the back of a 3-0 triumph over Fulham that lifted them to 15th place. Pulis said: “West Ham have some good players. They have been unlucky with (Andy) Carroll (out with a heel injury).

“They have a lot of experience in the Premier League and they have a well-balanced group of players.

“I don’t think (West Ham) manager Sam (Allardyce) gets the credit he deserves. He is a top manager and he keeps succeeding in every club. At West Ham, he has stabilised the ship. We know it’s going to be a tough game but we are hoping that we will get breaks.”