Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce hopes their short break has allowed the players to reset their sights.

The Eagles sit 19th in the Premier League ahead of Saturday's visit of fellow strugglers Middlesbrough - having taken just four points out of the 24 on offer since Allardyce was appointed in December.

"We've tried to get them a little fitter in this period, with no game," he said. "Physical and mental go hand in hand. The better you feel physically, the better you feel mentally.

"We've picked up a couple of knocks and injuries along the way, but we gave them a long weekend off to recover from that, and have built up this week towards a massive game against Boro.

"We have to finish on top of the bottom seven I'm thinking about. We need to live up to the expectation and pressure, and deliver on Saturday.

"This two-week break will hopefully have a major impact on us getting a massive result."