Crystal Palace’s alarming slump is threatening their promotion bid but Ian Holloway believes they have turned a corner this week and is confident of reaching the play-offs.
Palace, who face Blackburn at Ewood Park tomorrow, are without a win in seven Championship games and three points from that run leaves them in serious danger of finishing outside of the top six.
Just two points separate Holloway’s side from seventh-placed Leicester and the Palace manager said: “The atmosphere, the attitude, it just feels different. The boys feel like they have turned the corner.
“There is a good feeling around the place now. Results will show that, so let’s see. We have been talking about cutting out mistakes and working as a group. We know what we have to achieve and I expect us to get what we need in the remaining games.
“It has been a shock to everyone how things have been going but I have got a fantastic feeling with this group. The focus is there and we have got to do it for our fans.
“Let’s see if we can. I believe we can. It is about getting over the line and we can go a long way to doing that against Blackburn.”
Reports last week suggested that Holloway could face questions about his future at Selhurst Park if Palace miss out on the play-offs.
“Everybody is under pressure in football,” said Holloway. “I did not like it at Blackpool because I felt part of me was not under pressure there because the chairman gave me a rolling contract and sometimes that is not what you need. You need to fight and need to win games. I came here for the long term and if I do not do better in the short term, I might not have a long term.
“We could have a fantastic future together but I must earn that right.”
Mile Jedinak missed training yesterday with a cold but Holloway is confident he will be fit to face Rovers, while Jonathan Williams is back in contention after recovering from knee problem.
Holloway was given a boost today when Glenn Murray signed a new three-year contract with the club.
Striker Murray, who has scored 30 goals this season, has committed his future to Palace until 2016.
“I am delighted to get it all sorted,” said Murray. “We have got to the end of it and it is good news.”
