Alan Pardew: 'Patience is key to beating Arsenal'

Alan Pardew has warned Arsenal that his Crystal Palace players will push them all the way on Saturday afternoon in order to grab a share of the spoils at Selhurst Park.

The Gunners have hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, winning six of their last seven games in all competitions to remain on course to taste success on three fronts.

This weekend they will be aiming to keep their top-four hopes alive following a recent setback against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, although Pardew believes that he has nailed down the key to halting Arsenal in their tracks.

"The key to beating Arsenal is to be patient, to have enough attacking threat and to control some of the game, something we struggled with against Liverpool," the Eagles manager told reporters.

"They are in great form, but we're in decent form ourselves and it is at our place. [Santi] Cazorla is probably their player of the season. He is pulling the strings and we need to take care of him.

"But [Theo] Walcott, [Danny] Welbeck, [Alexis] Sanchez - there are a number of options they have, so they are a difficult proposition. They've got a fight for the Champions League as much as we are fighting to stay up, and we will push them as much as they push us."

Palace currently sit five points above the Premier League drop zone, while Arsenal are one point and one place off a Champions League qualification berth.