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Palace boss Alan Pardew is prepared to unleash the Benteke brothers on Middlesbrough
BEWARE Boro – the Benteke brothers are out to get you.
Pardew praises Palace board for 'brave' move to sign Benteke
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has taken Jonathan Benteke, younger brother of £27million pound striker Christian in the squad to the Riverside to face Middlesbrough this afternoon.
Palace lost new loan signing Loic Remy two days ago with a thigh muscle strain that will keep him out for two months. Bakary Sako and Fraizer Campbell are also injured, while Yannick Bolasie and Dwight Gayle have both been sold.
That leaves Pardew with just Benteke and Connor Wickham to score the goals that Palace so badly need.
Benteke junior moved to Palace from Belgian side Waregem and Pardew said: “Christian recommended him to us and when we went to see him we liked what we saw. He’s a young striker with talent – and they are not easy to find.
“He’s not up to his big brother’s level yet but one day it might happen that they play together in the first team. He might just surprise one or two and that’s why he’s in our squad to face Boro today.”
Christian Benteke could line up alongside his younger brother Jonathan
Alan Pardew has limited options up front following Remy's injury this week
Palace have only scored once this season, with no striker yet hitting the target. “We know where our problems are,” said Pardew. “As for Christian, I’ve no doubt he will score goals, it’s just a question of getting the first one.”
Palace are on a run of just two wins in 24 matches the worst record since the League began in 1992.
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