Crystal Palace manager Tony Pulis has praised his players for their response to last week's 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle United, which he believes spurred to them to take all three points late on against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Pulis said that in a relegation scrap it is important to bounce back from defeats with solid performances and he was delighted that they did not give up in the hunt for a winner.

"Really we needed that result because we'd let ourselves down with the home performance against Newcastle last week so it was nice to bounce back," he told Sky Sports News.

"I think we had the more clear-cut chances and the better opportunities and the keeper's made a wonderful save from Barry Bannan - how he touches that onto the post, I don't know.

"But the lads kept going and, like I say, that's what we need to do - week in, week out, we've got to give it everything and they've done that so far."

The result lifted Palace out of the relegation zone on goal difference.