MALKY: WE TOOK CONTROL v PALACE

Malky Mackay was delighted with the response from his players after going an early goal behind and being placed under strong pressure by the visiting Eagles for the opening thirty minutes.

“I’m very pleased. I thought we started slowly while Palace started well – it took us half an hour to get ourselves on top and to take control of the game,” he said.

“I thought we imposed ourselves in the last fifteen minutes of the first half and from there on in I thought we were excellent. We had a chat at half time and I asked them their thoughts on where they felt that their level of performance could go to today - and they got there, so I was delighted with that.

“We were playing against a top of the table team today that have only been beaten once in twenty games, and also playing against a winger who has caught the nation’s attention. I thought Kevin McNaughton came in today and was outstanding against him, keeping him very quiet.

“We scored our first at a great time, but it didn’t change my message at half time. We have plenty of players who can open teams up, though it might take time and a little bit of patience. Palace play with two centre-midfielders sitting in front of the back four; Jedinak hardly moves and stays there and it was always going to be hard to break them down today. The minute everyone started playing five yards further up the field, like our two full-backs were doing regularly, everyone else started to be more brave and we started being able to get into attacking positions.

“Players go in and out of the team based on performance, it’s as simple as that. You see Craig Conway today, he put in a transfer request three weeks ago. It’s about taking your chances when given them and Aron Gunnarsson came in again and did that today and I’ll keep picking my team on that basis when we have another tough game this Saturday against Millwall.”