Pardew delighted with double Benteke at Palace

Alan Pardew might have thought why have one Benteke when you can have two, but the Crystal Palace manager insists little brother Jonathan is a very different prospect to Christian.

The elder Benteke arrived at Selhurst Park over the summer from Liverpool and has been thrown straight into action for the Eagles.

But 21-year-old Jonathan could also be in line for an opportunity following a switch from Zulte Waregem in Belgium, after Loic Remy was ruled out for two months, with Fraizer Campbell also out injured.

And according to Pardew, it is Benteke junior’s pace that is his greatest asset at the moment, although he expects the 21-year-old to fill out and emulate his brother further down the line.

(Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

He explained: “Jonathan is a little bit more speedy and agile than Christian, because of Christian’s size. One day that might happen.

“And with Loic’s injury, he will definitely have jumped up the pecking order. And with Fraizer [Campbell] injured, we haven’t got seven or eight strikers. We have only got three or four.

“He is up the pecking order now for sure.

“It was an opportunity for us that he is so young and relatively cheap to take a chance on. And that is what he is really – a chance for us – and it just happens to be his [Christian’s] brother.”