Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew believes striker Dwight Gayle will be a real handful for Barclays Premier League defences once he finds his inner confidence.

The 24-year-old, who at 20 was playing for Conference North side Bishop's Stortford, scored twice as the Eagles came from 2-0 down to beat Burnley 3-2 at Turf Moor.

He has now scored in Palace's last three matches following Pardew's arrival from Newcastle - and his manager has high hopes for him.

"He just seems a very uncomplicated player," he said.

"He is very straightforward in his work; he is quick, good in the air, good attitude - blimey, there is not much more you want.

"All he needs is experience and to grow in his confidence. When I had Jason Puncheon at Southampton he wasn't the player he is today.

"Because he has played in the Premier League he has that inner confidence he can play at this level and that is what players like Dwight Gayle need to find."

The former Newcastle manager has got two of his attacking players scoring and, if he does the same trick with on-loan Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo he can expect his side to put even more than their current four-point cushion between them and the relegation zone.

Burnley, a point above the bottom three, took the lead after Kieran Trippier's corner found Ben Mee, who lost Joe Ledley to head in at the far post from a yard out.

Their second came as Joel Ward tried to shepherd Mee's clearance into touch. Scott Arfield muscled the full-back out of the way, kept the ball in play and slid a pass inside for Danny Ings to charge through the middle and slot past Julian Speroni.

But Palace got their first away goal in 453 minutes when Wilfried Zaha's pace helped him beat two markers. James McArthur's effort was blocked by Mee, but the rebound was drilled home by Gayle.

For Palace's equaliser three minutes after the interval, Puncheon picked up the ball just past half-way and was allowed to turn and run 25 yards unchallenged to beat Tom Heaton with a low shot.

The momentum was all with the visitors before Heaton was beaten by Gayle's angled shot late on.