“Conor’s a good lad, a good boy,” he told Palace TV after full-time. “He’s a very good player, and can bring loads of energy going forwards. He’s a very creative midfielder, and likes a bit of tackling as well, so hopefully he can bring us a lot of success this season.
“When you’re pinned back with ten men, you need someone to drive with the ball. That’s what he did today.
“On the ball [with ten men] there is less of an outlet, and not that many passing options. You might have to play more direct. JP [Mateta], Jordan [Ayew] and Rob [Street] did really well to hold the ball.
“It’s tough, but when you’ve got good players around you it makes it a lot easier."
