Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce says his side are gripped with fear in the games that matter after he watched his men drubbed 4-0 at home by fellow strugglers Sunderland this afternoon.

The Eagles were behind after just ten minutes at Selhurst Park as a mistake from Wayne Hennessey allowed Lamine Kone to put the Black Cats in front.




Didier Ndong hit an amazing 25-yard shot to put Sunderland 2-0 up in the 43rd minute, before Jermain Defoe all but killed off Palace in first half injury time, striking first in the 46th minute and then again in the 48th minute as the visitors went in 4-0 up at the break.

Palace were stunned and Sunderland controlled the game from start to finish, easing to all three points and a 4-0 victory.
 


Allardyce feels that there can be no other explanation than fear for how his side played in a game considered crucial to their chances of avoiding relegation.

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And he lays no blame at the feet of the crowd, to whom he apologised after Crystal Palace's dire display on home turf, while he also promised to work overtime to address the situation.

"For me it looks like fear. The fear we are suffering here at Crystal Palace is evident to me now", he told the BBC.

"It was Swansea the last game we had that was as big as this, and these games are bigger than playing Man United.

"And the fear has gripped the players and it hasn't allowed them to express the ability that they've got.

"I can't think it's anything other than that having seen and experienced it.

"It's a difficult one because I think the fans are so good here. They come to support the club, it's a sell out today, they are desperate for the club to do well, they get behind the players.

"It's not very often they get much stick and they deserve the booing they got today.

"So I have to apologise to them first for what the first half performance was like and say it is my responsibility to get it right.

"And with the rest of the staff I will work as hard as I possibly can to turn that around", Allardyce added.

Palace have now slipped to second bottom in the Premier League and are only ahead of bottom club Sunderland on goal difference.