Alan Pardew: 'Our targets have changed'

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has revealed that he is now targeting a top-eight finish in the Premier League table.

Pardew joined the Eagles with the club involved in a relegation scrap, but after Monday's 2-1 win over Manchester City moved Palace into 11th spot in the standings, the former Newcastle United boss believes that the teams above them can be chased down during the final weeks of the season.

The 53-year-old told reporters: "Our level of performance has been such that our goals have to be re-evaluated. It's something that I have always done with my teams. We can now look at the three teams above us and try to chase them down.

"The goal was to stay in the division, we must not get away from that, but we can't result on our laurels now that has been achieved to a certain degree."

Palace travel to the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland on Saturday afternoon having recorded three successive wins in the top flight.