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Tag: crystal palace

  • Alex Ferguson never spoke to me at Man Utd – Zaha

    Alex Ferguson never spoke to me at Man Utd – Zaha

    Former Crystal Palace manager, Neil Warnock has revealed that forward, Wilfried Zaha told him that former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson never spoke to him during his time at Old Trafford.

    Warnock also stated that Zaha didn’t get much help at Man United and was hence brought back by Crystal Palace.

    Zaha signed for Man United from Crystal Palace in January 2013 but remained on loan at the Eagles until the summer of 2013.

    After making just four senior appearances for Man United, the 29-year-old was loaned out to Cardiff City in January 2014.

    Zaha eventually returned to then Warnock-managed Crystal Palace, initially on loan in the summer of 2014 before the deal was made permanent the following summer.

    Speaking about his former player, Warnock told Talksport: “I signed him when I went to Crystal Palace. He’s always loved there. I would have liked to see him go to another top club. When he came back to me when I re-signed him.

    “I remember talking to him in the chairman’s office. I said to him, ‘Did you get on alright with Sir Alex?’ He said, ‘He never spoke to me once’.”

    Warnock added: “He was only a young lad and went there and didn’t get a lot of help. I’d love to have seen him [at a top club]. When he’s got an arm around him, he’s so exciting to watch and so dynamic. I think he’s going to have an excellent season this year.”

    Zaha has played 433 matches across all competitions for Crystal Palace so far, registering 86 goals and 73 assists.

    The Ivorian was close to leaving Crystal Palace for Arsenal in 2019, but the move didn’t materialize.

  • Darwin Nunez headbutted me twice – Crystal Palace defender

    Darwin Nunez headbutted me twice – Crystal Palace defender

    Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen has revealed that Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez headbutted him twice.

    Nunez was sent off on Monday night for Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Palace after headbutting Andersen.

    Nunez was giving his marching orders with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitting he will need to have a word with the 21-year-old over his conduct. Andersen also had his say after the match as he offered an insight into the fiesty exchange.

    “The whole game I sat really close to him, I annoyed him a lot and did well against him. I think that’s why he was angry with me,” Andersen said.

    “He headbutted me, the first one, at a cross, and I told him he shouldn’t do that. I was angry with him. Then he did it again which is, for me, is really stupid, so it’s a clear red card.”

  • Nunez sees red as Liverpool held to home draw by Palace

    Nunez sees red as Liverpool held to home draw by Palace

    Liverpool forward Luis Diaz cancelled out Wilfried Zaha’s opener for Crystal Palace as the teams drew 1-1 in the Premier League at Anfield on Monday.

    Liverpool’s striker Darwin Nunez was sent off for a head-butt on his home debut.

    Liverpool dominated the opening half but it was Zaha who broke the deadlock, stunning the home crowd with a brilliant finish to a counter-attack in the 32nd minute.

    It marked the sixth league game in a row in which Liverpool had conceded the first goal, although they had over 75 per cent  possession in the first half and a whopping 17 attempts, albeit with only three on target.

    Nunez could have put Liverpool level just before the break, but his scuffed effort came back off the far post and Virgil van Dijk failed to connect properly with the rebound.

    However, the Uruguay international, recently arrived from Portuguese side Benfica, was shown a straight red card in the 57th minute for an apparent head-butt on Joachim Andersen, and he will now face a three-match suspension.

    The sending off inspired Luis Diaz to grab the game by the scruff on the neck in the 61st minute as the Colombian cut in from the left beat several players and curled the ball beyond the despairing dive of Vicente Guaita to put the hosts level.

    Zaha had a golden chance to put Palace back in front after 78 minutes, ghosting behind the defence but volleying a low cross from Cheick Oumar Doucoure off the outside of the far post.

    Liverpool also went close to taking the lead on a number of occasions but Palace held firm to claim their first point of the new campaign, with the home side now having drawn twice in their opening two games.

    “Obviously we always want to win our games and especially at home,” Liverpool midfielder James Milner said.

    “I thought we started pretty well and then we lost our way a bit in the middle. They’ve obviously got quality, they’re always going to cause you problems on the break, which we could have defended better.”

    Palace boss Patrick Vieira was delighted to leave Anfield with a point, inspite of having an extra man for the last half-hour.

    “Overall we keep our organisation our discipline – this is a really tough place to come and try to perform … it was a really good team performance and I’m really happy with the team, the way they played today,” he said.

  • Martinelli, Guehi’s Own Goal Hand Arsenal First EPL Win Against Crystal Palace

    Martinelli, Guehi’s Own Goal Hand Arsenal First EPL Win Against Crystal Palace

    Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal defeated a defiant Crystal Palace 2-0 at the Selhurst Park Friday night in the flrst English Premier League game of the season.

    Gabriel Martinelli headed the Gunners into a narrow half-time lead, before Anglo-Nigerian England international Bukayo Saka forced an own goal from Marc Guehi late in the game to seal all three points.

    Martinelli became the 11th different Brazilian to score for the Gunners on Friday.

    The Gunners showed determination and grit to see out the game, but for long periods, their quality showed as they swept aside a Palace side who couldn’t finish their chances.

    Arsenal had Aaron Ramsdale to thank for keeping them in front who made a couple of excellent saves to deny Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze.

    Up next for Arsenal is a clash against Leicester City on Saturday, August 13, which is followed by a trip to newly-promoted Bournemouth a week later.

  • EPL: Arsenal go top after defeating Palace 2-0 in season opener

    EPL: Arsenal go top after defeating Palace 2-0 in season opener

    Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 away from home at Selhurst Park to launch the English Premier League  2022/23 season.

    Gabriel Martinelli’s first-half header and Marc Guehi own goal at Selhurst Park ensured Arsenal bagged all three points to top the new EPL season.

    The Gunners avoided a repeat of their 2-0 defeat at Brentford on the opening night of last year’s season for a perfect start as they aim to reach the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

    The Gunners were beaten 2-0 at Brentford on the opening night of last year’s season, which triggered their worst start to a league campaign for 67 years.

    But they backed up their blistering pre-season form as Gabriel Martinelli’s first-half header and a late Marc Guehi own goal made amends for a 3-0 defeat at Selhurst Park in April.

    That defeat sparked a run of five defeats in the final 10 games of the season to cost Arsenal a place in the Premier League top four for a sixth straight year.

    But the board has kept faith with Arteta and backed the Spaniard with over £100 million to spend in the transfer market.

    Arsenal presently climbed to the summit of the EPL table and the players will hope to consolidate on this achievement.

     

  • EPL: Watford relegated after defeat to Crystal Palace

    EPL: Watford relegated after defeat to Crystal Palace

    Watford have been relegated from the Premier League after Wilfried Zaha’s first-half penalty secured a deserved victory for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

    Defeat by Burnley last week had left the Hornets 12 points adrift of safety with four games remaining and Palace sent their former manager Roy Hodgson’s side straight back down to the Championship with a dominant display.

    The Eagles controlled the contest from the outset and went ahead when Zaha confidently swept his 31st-minute spot-kick past Ben Foster after Hassane Kamara had used his arm to block Michael Olise’s back-post header.

    According to BBC, Watford never looked like scoring and their misery was compounded when Kamara, already booked for that handball, was dismissed when his push on Olise produced a second yellow card.

    It is the second time Watford have dropped out of the top flight in the past three seasons. The manager-less Hornets also went went down on the final day of the 2019-20 campaign before securing an immediate return under Xisco Munoz.

    The identity of the coach who will be tasked with emulating Munoz’s achievement is still unknown, however, with Hodgson set to retire from top-level management when his contract at Vicarage Road expires at the end of the season.

  • Chelsea to play Liverpool in FA Cup final after beating Crystal Palace 2-0

    Chelsea to play Liverpool in FA Cup final after beating Crystal Palace 2-0

    ​Chelsea’s thrashing of Crystal Palace 2-0 in the FA semi-final, Saturday, would have them face Liverpool in a blockbuster final.

     

    ​The Blues saw off Palace, thanks to second half strikes by substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount.

     

    Loftus-Cheek, who enjoyed a loan spell at Palace in the 2017/18 season, was drafted on by Thomas Tuchel and wasted no time in repaying his manager’s faith.

     

    Cesar Azpilicueta intercepted Tyrick Mitchell​ and played in Jorginho who slid a pass to Kai Havertz.

     

    From there, the German’s deflected pass found its way to Loftus-Cheek who smashed a volley into the back of the net.

     

    The replay shows that his strike took a slight deflection off Joachim Andersen before flying past Jack Butland.

     

    Mount doubled his side’s lead after Timo Werner picked him out, with the England international calmly slotting home.

     

    Jurgen Klopp’s side booked their spot in the Wembley Stadium showpiece after beating Manchester City 3-2 on Saturday.

     

    Goals from Ibrahima Konate and Sadio Mane (x2) ensured their side’s progression to the final.

     

    Meanwhile, Jamie O’Hara has said Kai Havertz should have been sent off for diving against Crystal Palace.

     

    Chelsea forward Kai Havertz should have been shown a straight red card for diving against Crystal Palace in their FA Cup semi-final, according to Jamie O’Hara.

     

    Havertz was booked for simulation after going down inside the penalty in the first half of Sunday’s match at Wembley.

     

    Former Tottenham midfielder (O’Hara) was furious with the Germany international and believes he should have been sent off by referee Anthony Taylor.

     

    “Absolutely no place for it in the game. He’s got a booking for it. The Crystal Palace players are going crazy because that for me is such bad simulation.

     

    O’Hara said: “It’s not what you want to see in the game, especially at the highest level in a big moment. I would have sent him off!”

     

    Jamie O’Hara was not happy with Kai Havertz after the Chelsea man was booked for diving.

  • Vieira speaks after Crystal Palace dent Arsenal’s top-four hopes

    Vieira speaks after Crystal Palace dent Arsenal’s top-four hopes

    Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has no sympathy for Arsenal after his side dented their top-four hopes.

    The Gunners remain in fifth-place – behind Spurs on goal difference – after losing 3-0 to Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday.

    And former Arsenal captain Vieira says his only focus is winning games with Palace.

    Asked if there was any small part of him that had sympathy for Arsenal after the loss, Vieira replied sternly: “No. Our main focus was to win the game and the organisation of the week is always the same.

    “If we play Arsenal or Manchester City, what we try and do is win football matches.”

    Mikel Arteta’s side have a game in hand over Spurs and they must face their north London rivals before season’s end.

  • It’s not the time to laugh at him – Tuchel defends Lukaku

    It’s not the time to laugh at him – Tuchel defends Lukaku

    Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel has jumped to the defence of Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku who touched the ball just seven times against Crystal Palace, insisting “it’s not the time to laugh about him”.

    Lukaku was handed his 12th Premier League start of the season at Selhurst Park on Saturday, but failed to make an impact as the Blues laboured to an unconvincing 1-0 victory.

    The Belgium international, who returned to Stamford Bridge from Inter in a £98 million ($133m) deal last summer, was unable to muster a single shot at goal and only had seven touches – fewer than any other player to see 90 minutes of action this season.

    Chelsea are now looking ahead to the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League tie against Lille, and Lukaku is in contention to lead the line once again.

    Tuchel jumped to the forward’s defence at his pre-match press conference, telling reporters: “It’s not the time to laugh about him, he is our player and we will protect him.”

    The Blues head coach is aware of the damning statistics Lukaku posted against Palace, but has played down their significance and written his performance off as a bad day at the office.

    “What can I do? I don’t know. Well, we have to deal with it,” Tuchel added. “The data is out there and speaks the language that he wasn’t in our game.

    “With strikers, it can be like this when they lack confidence or depending on the game.”

  • Late Ziyech strike gives Chelsea victory at Crystal Palace

    Late Ziyech strike gives Chelsea victory at Crystal Palace

    Chelsea snatched a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday, courtesy of Hakim Ziyech’s strike as the newly crowned world champions returned to winning ways in the English Premier League (EPL).

    The hard-fought win for the Blues was coming after nearly a month’s absence in the EPL.

    Ziyech kept his eye on a looping cross by substitute Marcos Alonso and calmly side-footed in the volley at the far post in the 89th minute to give Chelsea the win that they had looked unlikely to claim for much of the match.

    Palace limited the visitors to only a handful of opportunities including a 35-yard pile-driver shot by centre-half Antonio Rudiger in the 11th minute that Vicente Guaita palmed away acrobatically.

    The hosts had their own chances with Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise coming close to breaking the deadlock as Palace sought to catch the visitors on the counter-attack.

    Chelsea, who last weekend won the FIFA World Club Cup and next weekend face Liverpool in the League Cup final, have struggled to get the best out of record signing Romelu Lukaku and he mostly cut a lonely figure once again.

    The win left Chelsea seven points behind second-placed Liverpool who beat Norwich City and 13 points behind league leaders Manchester City who play Tottenham Hotspur later on Saturday, while Palace sit in 13th place.