Ventola to pick up Palace

Nicola Ventola is being tipped to turn Crystal Palace's season around by his team-mates.

The striker only joined on a one-season loan from Inter Milan three weeks ago but has already made an impression on manager Iain Dowie's squad.

Ventola came on for the last 30 minutes of the 2-1 defeat by Manchester City at Selhurst Park on Saturday and won the Palace penalty, which was converted by Andy Johnson after Nicolas Anelka had scored twice for City.

Defender Mark Hudson thinks there is a lot more to come from the 26-year-old.

He said: "Nicola has really impressed me in training and did well when he came on against City. He has looked sharp in his two appearances and could be the one who turns things in our favour."

Palace are in desperate need of some good fortune after five straight league defeats and Ventola, a former Italy Under-21 international, may get the chance to prove he is the man for the job soon as first-choice striker Johnson injured his calf on Saturday.

Johnson will not play in tomorrow's Carling Cup game against Hartlepool at Selhurst Park and Dowie will be keen to get a morale-boosting win to break the losing run.

Hudson, a £500,000 summer signing from Fulham, said: "It was very frustrating again on Saturday and it is tough that we keep losing.