Alan Pardew has admitted he is “hurting inside” as he heads towards the fixture that will decide his future as Crystal Palace manager. Lose against his former club Southampton at Selhurst Park tomorrow and Pardew is expected to be sacked, possibly within hours, with Sam Allardyce likely to be called to take over at the relegation-threatened Premier League club.

Allardyce is interested. Allardyce is available – as are other managers such as Roberto Mancini – and it can be that brutal. And Pardew knows that.

Six Premier League defeats in a row have left Palace in a “crisis”, the manager said, and with “worried” owners. Talks took place with chairman Steve Parish this week, after the chaotic 5-4 loss away to Swansea City last Saturday, and although there is no sharp appetite from the club to get rid of Pardew, who they greatly admire and who they brought in for the long haul and has impressively helped rebuild the club’s infrastructure, neither can they risk their top-flight status.