Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha celebrate return in style as Palace run riot over West Brom

[ASFN Admin]

This was the moment West Bromwich Albion were meant to kick on after a doughty-in-defeat performance against Manchester United and a rather fortuitous victory over Sheffield United. Indeed for 34 minutes they looked as if they were about to give Crystal Palace a most testing afternoon. Then Matheus Pereira kicked out at Patrick van Aanholt and was dismissed. The game turned and led by the irrepressible Eberechi Eze and Wilfried Zaha, Palace scored five for the first time since Bournemouth went to Selhurst Park in May 2019. Albion head coach Slaven Bilic had tinkered gently but after two defeats without the injured Zaha, Palace manager Roy Hodgson restored him and he gave a first league start of the season to Christian Benteke. Both moves would pay off handsomely. Palace were ahead early. Luka Milivojevic’s free kick found Zaha. Pereira obligingly fell over, allowing Zaha to cross, and Darnell Furlong misjudged every angle to guide the ball past his own goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Albion soon levelled, Furlong found redemption when he latched on to a Semi Ajayi through ball. His first cross bounced off Gary Cahill, his second effort was a pull back. Conor Gallagher, scorer of the winner against Sheffield United, shot first time past Vicente Guaita. Just as Albion’s lights seemed to be turning green, they saw red. The game turned when some gentle jostling between Pereria and Van Aanholt ended with an Albion free-kick. As he fell, Pereira kicked out at the Dutchman. Off he went, after VAR intervention.

Continue reading...