Alan Pardew: 'We must prepare for battle against Crystal Palace'

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has admitted that he is expecting his side to have to "battle" against Crystal Palace on Saturday if they are to take anything from the game.

The Magpies travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon and Pardew wants his players to stand up to Tony Pulis's physical style of football.

"Tony plays a brand of football that's tough to play against - physical, demanding and at times, direct and you need to be able to stand up and be counted in that manner," Sky Sports News quotes Pardew as saying.

"All his teams have tested better teams than us on that level and won. But for us, it's about how we are playing, and we are playing really well at the minute.

"We need to bring that to Selhurst Park and if we can do that, then they won't get it all their own way and hopefully we can get three points."

Newcastle are sixth in the Premier League, while Palace are 18th.