Trevor Francis has backed Ade Akinbiyi to put his goal-drought nightmare behind him and help Clinton Morrison and Dougie Freedman fire the Eagles to promotion glory next season.

Akinbiyi scored his first goal at Selhurst Park on Saturday, to make it two goals in 13 appearances for the club since his £2.4 million transfer from Leicester City in February.

And while his manager does not feel the Preston game was his best performance in Palace colours, he does feel that Akinbiyi is starting to find his feet in South London, and will benefit from the summer break.

Francis said: "Whenever you go to a new club mid-season you always need a period of settling in. I think back to my first ever move from Birmingham to Nottingham Forest, I went in February and that last three months of the season I never really felt part of it. The following season I felt part of the team and started to feel more confident, more settled. I think that having the summer and a full pre-season here will be important for Akinbiyi."

Akinbiyi said: "It's been hard coming in during mid season but I'm just going to build up to next season and see what happens from there. I'm glad my form is back or getting there, and hopefully next season we can get into the Premiership."

The big Nigerian hopes that next season all three strikers will stay at the club for next season.

"I'm getting on really well with the other strikers and we do a lot of work together in training. I hope Clinton stays but obviously if he wants to move on, to bigger and better things, that's his choice."

Despite rumours that Morrison will be sold to a Premiership club in the summer, Francis is confident he will have the same attacking options next season. With reserve team striker Stephen Kabba's loan spell at Luton set to become a permanent deal in the summer,

Francis may even add a fourth striker.

He said: "I've got three good strikers and I don't know if Steve Kabba will stay at Luton but if he does, of course I would like another striker. When you start on July 1st, everyone starts on an even keel. There will be places for everyone to compete for and I think that's the fairest way to do it. If I decide to play with three then obviously the favourites are Akinbiyi, Morrison and Freedman but if there's only two then there'll be two places up for grabs - it just depends on how I decide to play."

Francis is determined to delay any speculation about his players future until after the final game of the season away at West Brom on Sunday, but he acknowledges that some players will be leaving.

"I have Kirovski and Rodger out of contract at the end of the season. We have to consider their situation, we haven't made a decision yet. Berhalter is on the transfer list."

Jovan Kirovski missed the Preston game because his wife gave birth on Friday, but he will be back in the squad for Sunday, and Tony Popovic will start after suffering no ill effects to his groin last week.

Francis added: "Julian Gray is limping around so it looks like he'll be out for Saturday, as will Thompson. Freedman will be out for a while, maybe a month from a bad pull to his hamstring. We still can't get Kit Symons fit but Rodger was ruled out but I'm more optimistic now and he may be ready for Sunday."

April 19, 2002 16:30