Goal hero Joe Ledley reckons new Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew is the sole reason the Eagles are flying in the Premier League.

The 28-year-old midfielder doubled his season’s goal tally with the winner in his side’s 1-0 win at Leicester City on Saturday – the club’s fifth triumph in six games since Pardew took charge.

Palace come up against the manager’s former club Newcastle United at Selhurst Park tonight with the travelling support likely to see a very different Palace performance from the one that saw the two teams draw 3-3 on Tyneside in August.

Ledley admits that is down to one man, but it is going to take the continued application of the squad to secure Premier League survival.

“He [Alan Pardew] is fantastic, especially for me and the midfield, because he wants us to play football, get the ball down and try and move it, which is the way I like to play,” he said.

“We’ve got the players to do that. Credit to the manager he has stuck to that and results have come are way.

“He wants us to keep the ball, get more crosses in, get more shots in and play more entertaining football.

“We’ve got determination to stay solid and defend us a unit, but he has brought in more attacking football.”

He added: “We’re not getting too carried away. We‘re still in a position where we’re down there and not safe at all.

“We’re on a good run and need to just keep coming in every single day and keep the determination going.

“That is what we have in this squad. Everyone works so hard for each other and we just need to keep doing that, keep getting the points and hopefully we survive.”

Ledley might have been squirming in he watched England beat Wales 21-16 on television at the team hotel on Friday night.

But at least the weekend ended was one to celebrate from a Palace point of view.

“There was a fair bit of mickey taking on Friday night, especially after the first half when it looked done and dusted,” he said.

“The second half wasn‘t the best from Wales, so I got a fair bit of stick.

“Three points were the main thing. It was the icing on the cake to get the goal and for it to be the winner.”