It won’t go down as an example of free-flowing Premier League football but Crystal Palace’s clinical victory over Manchester City onSaturday is the marker of even better things to come in south London.
The 2-0 result – earned through Wilfried Zaha’s sixth-minute opener, a resolute back line, Aymeric Laporte’s red card, the help of VAR and Conor Gallagher’s late second – was an indication of just how far Palace have come in their short time under Patrick Vieira.
While Roy Hodgson gave Palace a firm platform in the Premier League, Vieira is now catapulting the Eagles to even greater heights.
And it doesn’t come much better than beating the defending champions on their own patch – and comprehensively so.
“It was about getting in their faces and not letting them play,” said goalscorer Zaha, who has now found the net in three of his last six games.
“We know how good they are, we wanted to show them what we could do. I scuffed it but a goal is a goal. I was just buzzing to see it go in so I was happy.”
Palace were dogged throughout the encounter at the Etihad, willing and able to defend in packs and attack with pace. They frustrated their hosts, were happy to engage in the odd scrap, and rode their luck – as any team pinching points off City usually do.
The result was perhaps unforeseen to anyone outside of the terraces surrounding Selhurst Park. Palace had strung together four draws on the bounce, which included the late surrendering of their lead at Arsenal and against Brighton.
Their only win of the season had been the 3-0 demolition of Spurs. And Saturday’s was another surprise for those not keeping abreast of what Vieira is doing down there.
“I feel like we have had a threat (previously) but the difference now is that we keep the ball from the back and build and make our chances,” said Zaha.
“We’re exploiting our talent.”
Asked about the influence Vieira has had on the group, Zaha added: “He knows what he is talking about and we have all seen him do it. It’s surreal because he was an amazing player.
“Every player is buying into it and slowly the results will come.”
Indeed, it is that belief that is starting to become Palace’s identity. Whereas in previous seasons the impetus for practically any positivity was the presence of Zaha, now that responsibly is shared throughout an exciting attacking unit.
Palace recorded eight shots against City – more than most who come to the Etihad – and proved disciplined out of possession.
“The early goal helped, because it meant we had something to hold onto, and we defended well in the first-half,” said Gallagher. “To keep a clean sheet, even though they had 10 men in the second-half, is still not easy against players like that.
“When you come up against Manchester City, you naturally play differently. You defend more, you have to work a little bit harder off the ball. In the first-half, it is tough against a team that pressures like that. I felt we were brilliant defensively the whole game.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3bpVFBj
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