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Alan Pardew: Referees should give Crystal Palace more protection

Alan Pardew will be looking for a response from his Eagles side this weekend after the defeat to West Ham when they journey to Leicester but he will be very short on strikers after Connor Wickham broke down as he looked to return from a calf injury.

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Pardew feels that on the whole the quality of refereeing in the Premier League is high, but feels more can be done to improve standards including more communication with managers.

‘In the period I’ve been at Palace, we’ve not had an opposing player sent off. Yet we have flying wingers and it never happens to us. “I believe the actual calf is healed but we’ve been told we need to really build his training up”.

“We’ve got three flying wingers and it never happens to us”, he said.

‘Maybe a few analysis from managers [would benefit referees]. We are asked our view but it’s not been taken too much into account at times.

“Sometimes I do [think we don’t get enough protection]”. A bit more feedback would help them to help us. The best time is Monday’s or Tuesday’s. There can be a better review system. “My view is that the standard of refs is high, but it can be improved”.

Gayle is suspended and with Connor Wickham and Marouane Chamakh still out injured, Pardew must choose between Fraizer Campbell and Patrick Bamford up front.

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“They have various offensive options all of who are problematic”, he added. The striker grabbed 19 goals in all competitions, wining the Football League’s Championship Player of the Year award along the way. Coming from where he’s come from, the route to where he finds himself now, is astonishing. “Credit to the boy he’s done fantastically well”.

Connor Wickham