Crystal Palace suffered their fourth defeat in a row when losing 2-1 against Burnley at Selhurst Park on Saturday, and new boss Trevor Francis will have his work cut out if the Eagles are to stay in touch with the play-off chasers.
Francis was appointed new manager on Friday, a month after Steve Bruce resigned.
Bruce looks likely to take over at Francis' old club Birmingham, once a compensation deal is sorted out and after the sides meet next Tuesday in
the Nationwide League.
Francis said: "There is money for me to spend, but I won't make rash decisions about what the team's weaknesses are after seeing just one game. But I'm most concerned the squad is not big enough in terms of numbers.
"It is essential for us to have a bigger number of players to call on when injury and suspensions occur.
"We were without three key men Tony Popovic, David Hopkin and Jamie Smith and we definitely need to bring in one or two."
Burnley took the lead in the 22nd minute when a corner was poorly punched out by goalkeeper Matt Clarke.
The ball was knocked back in the danger area and Ian Moore headed unchallenged into an empty net.
Clinton Morrison equalised for Palace seven minutes before the break with his 14th goal of the season.
Simon Rodger's corner was headed back in the box to Dean Austin, who knocked it down for Morrison to head home from close range.
Aki Riihilahti then hit the Burnley crossbar with a 35-yard shot, but it was Burnley who got the winner in the 63rd minute, again from Moore.
Francis added: "It would have been nice for me to start with a win, or at least not to lose.
"But on the balance of play, I though we merited at least a share of the spoils.
"I didn't interfere with the team selection but I had an input before the game and during it. There is nothing wrong with encouraging my players.
"I now have a job to do but that always the case in management. I would much rather take on a team that was sixth from the top than sixth from the bottom.
"The statistics may show that we have lost the last four games but we are going through a tough spell in terms of opponents we are playing."
That tough spell continues when the Eagles entertain free-scoring Manchester City on Saturday before travelling to Francis' old club and Steve Bruce's hotly-tipped new one, Birmingham City, on Tuesday.
December 4, 2001 12:43
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