The three Crystal Palace players who could be most important to keeping Roy Hodgson’s side in the Premier League.
Roy Hodgson, manager of Crystal Palace, looks on during the Premier League match against Southampton.
Crystal Palace now have the unwanted record of being the first team in English top flight history to lose all five of their opening league matches without scoring a single goal.
Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge as manager after replacing the sacked Frank de Boer ended in a 1-0 defeat to Southampton and with Manchester City and Manchester United away and then Chelsea at home their next three fixtures, things don’t look like they’re about to get any easier.
Even at this early stage fans are unsurprisingly worried about relegation, but there are three players in particular in Hodgson’s squad who, if they perform to the best of their ability, will be able to keep the Eagles in the Premier League.
Christian Benteke of Crystal Palace reacts during the Premier League match against Southampton.
Christian Benteke
Became Palace’s club record signing when they signed the striker from Liverpool in the summer of 2016 for £27m (BBC) and went on to score 15 league goals last term.
It has been a struggle so far for Benteke this time around, but with 66 Premier League strikes in 159 appearances to date there is plenty to suggest the 26-year-old can come good again for Hodgson.
Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu (L) vies with Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye.
Yohan Cabaye
A surprisingly anonymous figure in 2017/18, Cabaye has previously been recognised as one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the division – which earned him a 2014 move from Newcastle United to Paris Saint-Germain.
Things may not have worked out for the France international at PSG, but he has more than enough about him to succeed at Selhurst Park and could be the creative spark that is needed in the middle.
Wilfried Zaha
An knee injury suffered in the opening day 3-0 loss to Huddersfield Town has meant Zaha has been a big miss for the South Londoners this season, but Sky Sports reports he is back in training ahead of an imminent return.
Hodgson may have some making up to do with the winger having frozen him out of international duty during his time as England boss, because with seven league goals and 11 assists in 2016/17 the 24-year-old could be the key to success.
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