Crystal Palace were indebted to Wilf Zaha’s winner as Roy Hodgson’s Eagles soared at Selhurst Park and clipped Chelsea’s wings.
Crystal Palace’s clash with Chelsea on Saturday was a reminder why we are all united in our devotion to this ‘beautiful game’. Here was the Premier League’s bottom side, without a win nor a goal in any of their opening seven games of the new season, welcoming the Champions to Selhurst Park.
And they only went and won. An own goal from Cesar Azpilicueta, a well-placed Wilfried Zaha finish, and Palace had beaten Antonio Conte’s Chelsea by two goals to one to seal one of the most surprising results in recent memory.
The win wasn’t just the consequence of backs-against-the-wall, body-on-the-line, hoping-for-the-best either. Palace boasted a real threat up top for the first time this season – and it is no coincidence that this coincided with Zaha’s return.
And the winger, in his own words, is ‘buzzing to be back’ – understandably, it’s a feeling the Crystal Palace fans reciprocate.
Zaha had not made an appearance in the Premier League since the 3-0 opening day defeat to Huddersfield Town, due to a knee injury but he wasted no time reminding Palace what they’ve been missing.
The 24-year-old, who snubbed interest from Tottenham to ink a new five-year deal with The Eagles in the summer according to The Guardian, took his game to an entirely new level last season and Hodgson’s hopes of reviving Crystal Palace rest largely on Zaha’s shoulders.
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