Alan Pardew: 'First goal changed things against Chelsea'

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has admitted that his side strayed from their gameplan after falling behind during this afternoon's Premier League clash with Chelsea.

The Eagles had the better of things in the opening exchanges at Selhurst Park, but Chelsea took control after Oscar gave them the lead and went on to run out 3-0 victors.

Palace have now gone three games without a goal, but Pardew revealed that a number of attacking players should be returning in the coming weeks.

"When they got the goal you could see their spirit lift and ours diminish. And there you see the story of the game. In fact we went away from our gameplan and started forcing things," Pardew told reporters.

"So that sometimes is what happens when you're not scoring goals. Fortunately I think [Bakary] Sako will be up and ready for Southampton, [Yohan] Cabaye will be back, and hopefully Connor [Wickham] can be ready for Villa.

"[Dwight Gayle]'s not far away too. His presence would have worried Chelsea. I don't want to moan about our injuries, that's a fact of any season. Chelsea deserved to win today."

Willian and Diego Costa added Chelsea's other goals in the space of five second-half minutes at Selhurst Park.