Pardew laments penalty calls in Palace´s loss to champions

Alan Pardew felt that Crystal Palace were on the wrong end of two penalty decisions in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea, but paid tribute to his side for giving the newly crowned Premier League champions a run for their money.

Chelsea won their fourth Premier League title at Stamford Bridge, Eden Hazard nodding in a rebound for the only goal on the stroke of half-time after Julian Speroni had kept out his weak penalty.

Palace manager Pardew feels that Hazard went to ground too easily under James McArthur’s challenge to win the spot-kick, while lamenting the fact that Kevin Friend failed to award a penalty for handball against Chelsea captain John Terry in the first half.

“The penalty decision for them really put them in the driving seat,” he said. “Our analyst said it’s tight, the referee said ‘it’s an absolute definite penalty, Alan, I don’t know what you’re asking me for’.

“It’s a bad piece of luck really because it was kind of questionable and then they get another break when he misses it and it comes straight to him. But you have to earn those breaks, they’re a team that can function in any scenario.

“They kept the ball, frustrated us, made it difficult for us to break them down. That’s what champions do, they don’t let you back in when they get the lead. That’s why they continue to do the job in each scenario or game they come by.

“We also felt that Punch’s [Jason Puncheon’s] shot is blocked by John Terry’s body and hand so he [the referee] could’ve given a penalty for that.

“[But] we’ve given a great account of ourselves, you could see at the end my players could hardly move. I think that was a tremendous tribute to them.”

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has seen Chelsea accused of being ‘boring’ in recent weeks, but Pardew leapt to the defence of his opposite number.

“In the first half of the season I don’t think anyone moaned about Chelsea [being boring],” he added. 

“In the second half of the season they’ve obviously done the job. Sometimes fantasy and flair goes out the window in order to do the job and to win.

“That’s why this guy [Mourinho] earns the money that he earns, because he wins, he wins trophies and he’ll win it in a manner that he thinks is right for that occasion.”