January 8 2001

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace will have to face a third disciplinary charge this season after another five bookings in the FA Cup third round tie at Sunderland last Saturday. The game ended in a 0-0 draw but Palace lost Hayden Mullins with a red card in that game.

It is the third time this season that the South London club will be charged by the Football Association.

Earlier this season The Eagles were fined following an ugly brawl with Nottingham Forest and they are facing a charge after trouble at Gilingham two weeks ago.

Crystal Palace manager Alan Smith wasn't impressed by referee Mike Riley to say the least.

He said: "With different decisions we may have got a winner out of it. When I came back into the job I wanted to do everything right.

"I wanted to be articulate, and not to be criticising referees and be as lunatic as everyone else. But I thought that the penalty appeals looked blatant."

Meanwhile, Palace chairman Simon Jordan has questioned the attitude of some of the players for not being able to perform in League games like they do in Cup games against Premier League sides.

Jordan does not understand why the players can play well against Sunderland one week and then lose two League games against Blackburn and Gillingham the next week.

The Palace chairman said: "It is all about attitude as it is in everyday life. We seem to be able to raise our games for cup games as the Sunderland game proved.

"If we could translate our form from the six or seven games that we have played in the Worthington Cup into the League we could be sixth or seventh."