Dougie Freedman has admitted that some players at Crystal Palace may have been affected by the play-off speculation surrounding the club.

After going 15 games unbeaten, the Eagles have now lost three of the their last four games and only scored once in that time, resulting in them slipping to 10th in the table.

The veteran Scottish striker played the last 20 minutes of Tuesday's defeat at home to Ipswich, and revealed that some players had begun thinking too far ahead and maybe suffering mentally after the long run.

He said: "Maybe all of a sudden people began looking too far ahead.

"We've got into the play-off positions and obviously the media coverage made a few teams aware of us and it has affected players in different ways. Unfortunately, it's affected one or two players in their performances.

"The fifteen games we were unbeaten was a hell of an effort put in so maybe the lads are feeling a little bit mentally tired from that so maybe we can say the play-offs are not for us this year."

Freedman also said that Warnock told the players exactly what he expected from them in the dressing room after the 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich on Tuesday night.

He said: "He's told the players tonight exactly what he wants and what he doesn't and if you want to be a part of it come along and if you don't then there's no need to.

"There are decent players in the changing room and it's as strong as ever. We've got a good manager who doesn't all of a sudden become a bad manager after a few results so we do know we have got to get back to basics.

"It's not about promotion or play-offs now. It's about Bristol City away. When we went on that run that's how we approached it, game by game."

Despite Palace's recent dip in goalscoring form, Freedman has insisted he has not knocked on Warnock's door asking for a start.

He said: "I had 20 minutes myself an I didn't really perform the way I should have so he has got to judge."