Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew favours goals over clean sheets

Alan Pardew has revealed that once his Crystal Palace side are scoring goals, he can accept their lack of clean sheets.

The Eagles, who sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, have yet to keep a clean sheet this season after they were breached late on by Manchester City last weekend.

"On a professional level, the lack of clean sheets does concern me a little bit but I can still cope with winning 3-2 or 4-3," Pardew told reporters at his press conference.

"The bottom line is I want this team to always think about scoring goals. If you are of that mindset then you can't switch to really focusing on a clean sheet.

"If we'd lost three games on the trot then maybe we'd start focusing on a clean sheet and start building from there, but we have got good momentum and a good feeling. Our players are smiley and happy and we will go out and try to take the game to Spurs."

Pardew's side take on Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Sunday.