Ian Holloway shoulders the blame

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has taken the blame for today's 2-0 defeat at home to Swansea City.

The 50-year-old was serving the last game of a touchline ban for comments he made about the referee following his team's loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

"I am absolutely gutted," he told Sky Sports News. "The changes I had to make with the new lads coming in and it looked like they were strangers. With the greatest respect, that is as bad I ever want to feel sat here. I didn't enjoy any minute.

"It was my fault not being on the line with them, for losing my temper against Tottenham. I felt estranged and out of it and they have to feel the manager is with them, so please blame me.

"I needed to be there today and they'd have felt a little bit more confident, we would have got a little tighter to things. When the manager is there it is a little bit different so I would rather blame myself."

Michu and Nathan Dyer scored either side of half time at Selhurst Park.