August 27 2001

Crystal Palace

Palace striker Dougie Freedman admitted that The Eagles have only themselves to blame for losing against Nottingham last Saturday. Freedman scored a brace in that game, but Palace's defence let them down as they slumped to a 4-2 defeat.

The former Nottingham Forest star believes that The Eagles could have at least won a point against his old club.

He said: "We only had ourselves to blame for making too many mistakes when we were in with a very good chance of winning.

"When we got it back to 2-2, I thought we were the only side capable of going on to victory. But we shot ourselves in the foot and to be fair to them their front two played very well."

Meanwhile, reports in a Sunday newspaper reported that Dean Saunders will be offered a player-coach role at the club.

Saunders, who has been on trial at Selhurst Park recently, has been linked with a number of clubs including Oxford United and Swansea City, but it is said that he has impressed Eagles boss Steve Bruce.

Another Sunday report says that 19 year-old French trialist keeper Cedric Carasso is set to be offered a deal by at Selhurst Park. Carasso's is currently playing at Olympique Marseille.