Buoyed by their win over Liverpool at the weekend, Steve Parish has now challenged Crystal Palace to qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
For the first time since the inception of the Premier League the Eagles managed to avoid relegation back to the second-tier last season, something Tony Pulis received huge credit for. However, shortly before the start of the current campaign, the Welshman left Selhurst Park by mutual consent after a disagreement with the board.
Neil Warnock was then installed towards the end of August for his second spell in charge of the club, having previously residing in the dugout from October 2007 to March 2010. The 65-year-old made a good start with two wins and two draws from his opening four matches, but he collected just one point from the following five fixtures.
This poor sequence of results was arrested on Sunday afternoon when Palace came from a goal behind to inflict a memorable 3-1 defeat on Liverpool. These three points has lifted them out of the relegation zone, and whilst this would be enough for some at the club, Parish believes they should instead be looking to challenge for a top-six finish.
“There’s no reason why Palace can’t cement itself as a [UEFA] Europa League challenging club,” the Eagles chairman revealed in the London Evening Standard. “The [UEFA] Champions League is really difficult for any club outside the top four or five. You might get the odd wild card. The next level down – right down to ninth – is very flat now.”
Should Palace be setting their sights higher than simply avoiding relegation? Let us know what you think by joining in with the discussion below.
