Scott Dann talks about relief of Crystal Palace ending losing streak – and praise for matchwinner Patrick van Aanholt

BY ROB SUTHERLAND

Scott Dann was pleased that Palace got back to winning ways against Newcastle United, putting an end to a run of three defeats in a row.

“We’ve has a couple of defeats of late and that takes away from the mood, and it tends to dampen from the outside. We just try to keep on every game like we did today.

“I think over the previous two games we probably should have had more out of them than we’ve got, but today from start to finish we deserved it and probably should have scored more goals.”

Dann nearly scored for the Eagles with an excellent header that was kept out by Martin Dubravka.

“The goalkeeper for Newcastle made a couple of really good saves from myself and Gary, and unfortunately they didn’t go in for us.”

Asked if the side had worked on set pieces in training, Dann admitted that he felt the side needed to make more of those opportunities.

“We all have to chip in and we probably haven’t scored as many as we would have liked, in general, but also from set pieces.”

The team had a week off following the Everton defeat, and it was a break he felt was needed.

“It’s easy to say now after you’ve won the game but that Christmas period is a long period, and when you don’t have a massive squad and a lot of the players playing a lot of games, you come out of it with players picking up injuries and an even smaller squad, the break came at the right time.“

Dann praised goalscorer Patrick van Aanholt, whose free-kick won Palace all three points.

“It was a great finish and he’s caught it really nice. I said to him: ‘What are you doing Patty? Are you shooting or crossing?’ He said he was going to shoot so I told him to make sure he scores.

“He’s capable of that, he’s got a great left foot and thankfully for us that was the one that got us three points.”

PICTURES BY KEITH GILLARD