Eagles want to be Swans

STEVE PARISH desperately wants Frank de Boer to make his Crystal Palace side a bit more like Ajax.

But the Palace chairman (right, with De Boer) also wants his side to be a bit more like … Swansea.

Parish said: “Frank and I have spoken a lot about evolution, so we need a different way of playing.

“I watched Swansea when they were in trouble – they played Man United at Old Trafford, started with a diamond and gave them lots of problems.

“United matched them up, so they went to 4-4-2 and continued to give United problems and then, at the end, they went to three at the back.

“We need to be able to do that, so that’s really what Frank will try to give us.

“Will he eschew playing on the break, the counter- attacking style style that has been successful for us? No, I don’t think so.

“He’ll use that as a weapon in his locker, but will look to involve other ways.” De Boer will be backed in the transfer window, but Parish ruled out a move for Liverpool loanee Mamadou Sakho.

Parish, speaking to US digital radio station Siriusxm, added: “Frank is probably going to need three or four new faces to evolve our playing style.

“We have to be more defensively secure. Sakho was on loan, but he has gone back to his club and, for us, that is probably it.”