Warnock waxes lyrical over wide duo

Neil Warnock paid tribute to Crystal Palace wingers Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie for their role in the 2-0 win over Leicester City.

Palace made it back-to-back victories in the Premier League as second-half goals from Fraizer Campbell and captain Mile Jedinak earned the hosts a first triumph at Selhurst Park this season.

Puncheon had a role in both of Palace’s goals, first providing the corner from which Scott Dann nodded back across goal allowing Campbell to score from close range, before his 54th-minute free-kick was headed home by Jedinak.

Bolasie, too, was a constant threat for the hosts and Palace manager Warnock – who has gone four Premier League matches unbeaten since returning as boss last month – was thrilled with their impact.

“I felt the wide players could win us the game,” he said. “Alright the goals were set-pieces, but I thought they were a threat throughout the game.

“He’s [Puncheon] probably not getting as much of the limelight as Yannick but as I’ve said to him he’s more of a marked man this year.

“[But] when they mark Jason as tight as they do, they leave Yannick unmarked so it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other. I wouldn’t want to mark either of them at the moment. They’re very difficult to play against.”

Warnock also insisted that there is no lingering bad blood between himself and Puncheon despite the latter’s Twitter outburst last season.

Puncheon was fined £15,000 in March of last year after launching a tirade against Warnock, who had criticised the player’s penalty miss in a Premier League clash against Tottenham.

Asked how the two settled their differences, Warnock replied: “We had an evening meal together, we talked about it.

“I think he’s enjoying it here, you do have bust-ups, you say things and I think he got told the wrong end of the tale at the time really. But I think the last couple of years he’s been phenomenal.”