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End-of-season report: Crystal Palace

:Headline: End-of-season report: Crystal Palace: ID:223757: from db_amp
Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at Crystal Palace's 2014-15 campaign.

Four separate managers have taken charge of Crystal Palace at some point this season, but consistency has been found under Alan Pardew, who returned to the club midway through the campaign.

Tony Pulis and Neil Warnock both departed in the first half of the season, leaving Keith Millen to fill the gaps each time the managerial position became available.

Pardew was confirmed as the club's new manager at the start of 2015 and the 53-year-old has led the London side to a top-half finish, making it another hugely successful season.

Here, Sports Mole has taken a closer look at Palace's 2014-15 campaign.

August

It wasn't the easiest of starts for Palace as they made the trip to Arsenal for their first league game of the season. Under caretaker boss Millen, Palace actually took the lead, but eventually lost 2-1 courtesy of a stoppage-time winner from Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Millen was again in charge for the home match against West Ham United, who won 3-1 to make it back-to-back league defeats at the start of the campaign.

The League Cup brought a welcome distraction as Palace won 3-0 at Walsall on August 26 - courtesy of a hat-trick from Dwight Gayle - to book their spot in the third round of the competition.

Warnock was confirmed as the new manager before the trip to Newcastle United, while Wilfried Zaha also returned to the club on loan from Manchester United.

Newcastle took a 3-2 lead in the 88th minute at St James' Park, but Zaha scored a 95th-minute equaliser to secure Palace their first Premier League point of the season.

September

After three games, Palace were still without a league win and that became four on September 13, when Burnley secured a point in a goalless draw at Selhurst Park.

At the fifth time of asking, however, Palace picked up three points in the league as goals from Mile Jedinak, Fraizer Campbell and Yannick Bolasie secured a 3-2 win at an out-of-sorts Everton team.

Palace were on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline in their next match, however, as Newcastle United won at Selhurst Park in the League Cup.

The month ended in a positive fashion, however, as Warnock led his side to a 2-0 win against Leicester City – making it an unbeaten league month for the club.

October

Palace's positive run came to an end at the start of October as they lost 2-0 at Hull City, before Chelsea won 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

The blip came to an end at West Bromwich Albion, however, as Palace secured a point in a 2-2 draw.

Jedinak was starring for the capital outfit, but their lack of goals was a worry. Campbell was adding here and there, but Gayle was struggling for first-team football. Palace were still out of the relegation zone, however, and Warnock had seemingly beaten off some criticism to get the supporters onside.

November

November started in the worst possible fashion, however, as Sunderland, who themselves were struggling for victories, won 3-1 at Selhurst Park. That defeat came with a further price as skipper Jedinak was dismissed and therefore suspended for the trip to Manchester United one week later.

Palace frustrated United for long spells of the clash on November 8, but a second-half effort from Juan Mata made it five without a win for Palace and the pressure was starting to build on Warnock.

The end of the month was to bring some relief, however, as the capital outfit recorded a 3-1 win over Liverpool to move clear of the bottom three.

Palace then travelled to an in-form Swansea City side on November 29 and took a point from Wales to cap a solid end to November.

December

Palace's disappointing home form continued at the start of December as they lost 1-0 against Aston Villa, but four days later, they secured a point at White Hart Lane.

The clash against Tottenham Hotspur will be remembered for Bolasie's sensational piece of individual skill, while the attacker's strong form led to suggestions that clubs were preparing January moves.

Stoke were the visitors to Selhurst Park on December 13, and the two sides played out a 1-1 draw. One week later, Palace lost 3-0 at the champions Manchester City, however, to leave them in 17th spot in the table.

Palace were then beaten 3-1 by Southampton on Boxing Day, with that result ultimately leading to the sacking of Warnock following reports that he had lost the dressing room.

As a result, Millen was again placed in temporary control for the trip to Queens Park Rangers on December 28, which ended in a goalless draw. As it stood, Palace were without a manager, but Newcastle United's Pardew was being strongly linked with a return to Selhurst Park.

January

Millen again took the team for their first league match of 2015, which ended in a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa. The powers-that-be moved quickly in appointing a new boss, however, and Pardew was the man chosen to lead the Palace revival in the second half of the campaign.

Pardew's first game in charge was an FA Cup third-round clash against Dover Athletic and Palace booked their spot in the fourth round with a comfortable 4-0 victory.

Palace's eight-game winless run in the league then came to an end against Tottenham Hotspur as Pardew led his team to a 2-1 victory. One week later, Palace beat Burnley 3-2 to make it three wins in Pardew's first three games in charge.

Progression into the fifth round of the FA Cup was also secured before the end of the month, with a 3-2 victory at Southampton making it an incredible January for the capital outfit.

That said, there was to be disappointment on January 31, when Everton won 1-0 at Selhurst Park to inflict a first defeat on Pardew's Palace team.

The month of January also saw Zaha return to Palace on a permanent deal, while Yaya Sanogo was secured on loan from Arsenal. Very quickly, Pardew had turned around the club's fortunes.

February

Palace responded to the Everton defeat with a 1-0 win at Leicester City, however, before drawing at home to Newcastle United as the push up the table continued.

Their FA Cup journey was to come to an end against Liverpool, however, with a 2-1 home defeat leaving the London side out of both cup competitions.

Arsenal took all three points from Selhurst Park on February 21, but Palace did return to winning ways away to West Ham United one week later to move into 12th position in the table.

March

March started with a 1-0 defeat away to Southampton, but Palace's ability to bounce back was extremely apparent as they then recorded consecutive wins over Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City to continue their rise up the league table.

Palace ended the month in 11th position in the table, while a number of players were beginning to shine. Glenn Murray, who returned to the club on loan in January, was starting to fire, while Bolasie and Zaha were impressing in the wide areas.

The club's struggles towards the end of 2014 were a distant memory and little did the supporters know that the month of April would bring one of their standout results of the season.

April

On April 6, Palace made it three straight league wins with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City, before Bolasie scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Sunderland one week later.

Palace welcomed West Bromwich Albion on April 18 with the intention of making it five straight league wins, but the Baggies took all three points from Selhurst Park. Palace then lost against Hull City on April 25, which made it a disappointing end to the month.

May

On paper, May was a very tough month for Palace. A 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on May 3 was enough for the Blues to secure the league title, before Manchester United almost guaranteed fourth spot with a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park on May 9. For all Palace's praise in the second half of the season, their home form was surprisingly poor.

Palace gate-crashed Steven Gerrard's final home game in a Liverpool shirt on May 16, however, and again it was Bolasie that terrorised the Reds in a 3-1 victory at Anfield.

Palace made it back-to-back wins in their final league game of the season as a 1-0 victory over Swansea City secured a top-half finish, which not many would have predicted at the start of the campaign.

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