Scott Dann has claimed that Tony Pulis is the best manager he has worked with.

The former Blackburn Rovers centre-back joined Crystal Palace in January, when many had written off their Premier League survival chances.

Now, however, Palace can all but seal safety with a win against Aston Villa, and Dann credits his manager with turning their fortunes around.

"Everyone had written Palace off and written [Pulis] off," Dann told The Express. "He relished the chance to prove them wrong.

"He has made sure all the squad knows that everyone thinks we're doomed. He keeps us grounded.

"He's probably the best manager I've worked under. He knows how to win games in this league, it's not easy to do as a lot of people have found out."

Palace take on Villa at 3.07pm this afternoon.