Pulis urges Palace to spend

Crystal Palace 1 Stoke 0

Palace edged out Stoke at home in league action on Saturday, Jason Puncheon netting the winner to shake off his horror-show penalty miss in last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham.

Palace are yet to strike in the January transfer window despite being linked to a host of targets, including Brondby’s towering Denmark international forward Simon Makienok.

Pulis has called on co-chairman Steve Parish and sporting director Ian Moody to deliver a nucleus of new arrivals to bolster their drive away from the foot of the table.

“We’re hoping and praying we can bring some players in. We really need to bring some players in and that will strengthen us,” said the manager.

“The lads are waiting for a few to come in as well and we’ll kick on from there.”

Pulis was able to toast his 56th birthday with victory over former club Stoke, one he admitted was tinged with emotion.

“I was there for a long time and during that time it was my family supporting the club just as much as it was me working for it,” he said.

Deflated Stoke boss Mark Hughes admitted his side have no excuses for the defeat.

“We struggled in the final third and we lacked any real quality,” he said. “It was not where we should be at all and we’ve got to turn it round quickly.

“You cannot afford to defend like that in Premier League matches.”

CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni, Mariappa, Gabbidon, Delaney, Parr, Puncheon, Ward, Jedinak, Bolasie (Moxey 86), Guedioura (O’Keefe 68), Chamakh (Wilbraham 86).

STOKE: Butland, Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters, Whelan (Ireland 58), Nzonzi, Walters (Guidetti 79), Adam, Assaidi (Arnautovic 72), Crouch.

Ref: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).