SMASH AND GRAB
Crystal Palace 2, Watford 1: Late Bakary Sako and James McArthur goals mean heartbreak for ten-man Watford
Early Daryl Janmaat header put Hornets ahead but when Tom Cleverley saw red the home side cashed in big time
THEY’RE behind you. Oh no they’re not. Not any more.
Pantomime season is well and truly under way in South-East London and maybe Crystal Palace will be going to the ball after climbing off the foot of the Premier League table for the first time all season.
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James McArthur wheels away in sheer joy after netting the last gasp winner
Two stoppage time goals from substitutes Bakary Sako and James McArthur turned this extraordinary game on its head as ten-man Watford imploded right at the death.
Eagles boss Roy Hodgson has underdone so much late trauma these past few days that you seriously have to worry about the state of his poor old ticker.
And just when the former England manager was starting to worry that his team had lost the will to fight for their top-flight survival, his players came up with a stunning riposte.
Visitors Watford were cruising towards another comfortable away win until Tom Cleverley’s 87th minute dismissal for his second yellow card of the night.
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It was just the lifeline desperate Palace needed as Sako stuck a leg out to stab the loose ball into the net after keeper had failed to hold Wilfried Zaha’s 89th minute low shot.
And deep into stoppage time McCarthy sent Selhurst Park absolutely crazy when he swept home Zaha’s low cross to seal this most unlikely of victories.
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Hodgson had predicted that Christian Benteke would be cast in the role of the evil villain after his dastardly last-minute penalty miss at the weekend.
But it was Zaha who was getting all the boos from the travelling Watford fans for a spot of ham acting which would have put Widow Twanky to shame.
Is this miss of the season for Watford striker Troy Deeney against Crystal Palace?
Zaha, of course, has a history of amateur dramatics with Marco Silva’s team.
This time last year he was left with steam coming out of his ears when he was mocked by Watford mascot Harry the Hornet after being booked for diving.
Yet that did not stop the Palace idol from going to ground at every opportunity last night then throwing his hands up in mock horror when his theatrical pleas for a free-kick went unheeded.
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Anxious Watford players surrounded referee Lee Mason at the half-time whistle to implore him to get to grips with a player who had won two contentious spot-kicks against Bournemouth at the weekend.
Hodgson had not even considered dropping Benteke as punishment for his selfishness at the weekend – simply because he has absolutely no other options up front.
It is now seven months since the £32million Belgian last hit the net for Palace, which might explain his desperation to get off the mark from the spot.
Yet Benteke was once again unable to live up to his club record price tag as Palace struggled to string two passes together all night.
And if Hodgson had thought that things could not possibly get any worse after the weekend’s late drama, his dozy players had other ideas.
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The Palace boss had barely taken his seat in the dug-out when his team fell behind to a third minute goal from Daryl Janmaat.
The Dutch international was left totally unattended to run in on Richarlison’s inviting cross and plant a firm back post header past Julian Speroni on the keeper’s 400th appearance for Palace.
Only Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have scored more Premier League goals on their travels than Watford this season.
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And they could easily have doubled their lead minutes after Janmaat’s breakthrough when Richarlison found the time and space for a shot which was destined for goal until James Tomkins stuck his head in the way.
It was hard to believe that Palace were supposed to be fighting for their lives as they allowed Watford to swarm forward almost unopposed.
And nobody was taking advantage of their generosity more than Richarlison.
The elusive Brazilian has become accustomed to being kicked from pillar to post after suffering more fouls than any other Premier League player this season.
So he could hardly believe the freedom he was afforded to weave his magic down the left wing.
Palace’s negligence was summed up by Yohan Cabaye surrendering possession in his own half with a touch so bad it defied belief.
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Richarlison, inevitably, seized on the opportunity to create mayhem with a peach of a pass across goal which Troy Deeney somehow managed to sidefoot wide.
Even allowing for the slightest touch off the studs of Scott Dann, it was a shocking miss by the Watford captain from less than a yard out.
And how the visitors were made to pay for Deeney’s waywardness as Palace finally discovered their fighting spirit in the dying minutes.
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