Allardyce hopes to sign two new players

Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce hopes to bring in two new faces during the January transfer window.

The former England boss, appointed as Palace boss on a two-and-a-half year deal last week, wants to bolster a defence that has failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 20 Premier League away games.

"Certainly, I think we need two players in at the moment, if we can," he told Sky Sports after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal.

"We need to get better defensively - this is another game without a clean sheet, even though I thought overall the team defended well."

Palace are also keen on signing Swansea winger Modou Barrow, who could be available in January for £10m because the Swans fear the Gambia international could invoke a £5m relegation release clause in his contract at the end of season.

Allardyce says he faces a choice whether to sign one player with Premier League experience, or "risk it a bit more" by bringing in two players from abroad.

"It is all very well talking about what you want to do in the transfer window - it is whether you can do it or not," he continued.

"You have to pay really high prices, particularly for players in England, and really high wages.

"You have to pay over the odds, but that is what we all have to do if we want to sign a player.

"Or we could go abroad, and risk it a bit more because the players there are that much more affordable.

"The question is, do we do that, or stick to one player with experience in this country?"

Palace are now without a win in five matches, but Allardyce feels Tuesday night's relegation clash against Swansea City at Selhurst Park presents a golden opportunity to get back to winning ways.

Palace lie 17th, two points above the Premier League relegation zone, while the Swans are rooted to the bottom of the table with just 12 points from 19 matches.

"We've got a big game, bigger than this game, on Tuesday night," he continued.

"Our season won't be defined by results against the top six.

"What we do when we play the teams in the bottom half of the league will be the defining reason of whether or not we get out of the bottom half. Nothing turns around quick this time of the year.

"If we are going to be really good it will probably be March before we can pull away - if we struggle it will probably go to the very end.

"If we are going to get out of trouble now we need four or five wins on the trot. I have every confidence in the players that it will turn around and hopefully as quick as possible."

Photo (Getty Images/ Shaun Botterill)

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