Grealish has royal approval – but is Gareth watching?
Evergreen Cahill is leading by example to lift Palace
ROY HODGSON has made plenty of inspiring signings throughout his managerial career but there cannot be many better than Gary Cahill.
The former England captain arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer on a free transfer with his best years apparently behind him.
But Cahill, 34 in December, has been superb in his six league matches for Palace so far and was handed the skipper’s armband at West Ham.
Now he wants to play on towards his 40s – and that spells bad news for Premier League attacks. Cahill appears to be benefiting from playing just eight times for Chelsea last term.
He said: “If people think I can’t still deliver, just let them talk. But the most important thing is to do my talking on the pitch.
“I’m proud of the condition I’ve got myself in to come back because I didn’t play for a few months but looked after myself. If anything I rested my body up.
“I’m in good form and good shape and have many years left in me.” Hodgson, who also managed Cahill with England, JACK GREALISH is convinced his time will eventually come with England.
Four years have passed since he turned his back on the Republic of Ireland to pledge his allegiance to the Three Lions.
But no senior call-up has materialised for the man who has graduated from wonderkid to captain at Aston Villa.
Gareth Southgate’s head has been turned in the meantime by Leicester’s James Maddison, who at 22 is two years younger than Grealish.
Villa fans would tell the England manager that anything Maddison can do Grealish can do better, and his performance at Carrow Road backed that up.
Grealish, above, John McGinn and Conor Hourihane pressed the Canaries’ backline relentlessly and Villa were rewarded with five goals.
Wesley, the big Brazilian battering ram, scored the first two from close range before fluffing a penalty. After the break Grealish, Hourihane and substitute Douglas Luiz tormented added: “He has been good, as I knew he would be. He is a great professional.”
Palace have been far from fluent in attack this season but find themselves well placed thanks to their defence.
They fell behind when Sebastien Haller rounded off a superb West Ham move.
But Patrick van Aanholt levelled from the spot after Declan Rice’s handball and then won it through Jordan Ayew three minutes from time, as VAR intervened and overturned an offside decision.
Ayew appeared to run in the direction of Hammers fans in celebration and a couple of objects landed near him. But he Norwich with quality finishes asVilla fan Prince William watched in the stands with the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George.
The FA president enjoyed every minute of Grealish’s performance but did Southgate? Grealish hopes so although he knew he would be overlooked last week for Friday’s qualifier in the Czech Republic and the trip to Bulgaria that follows.
“I know for a fact if I play to the best of my ability then I can get in there,” he said. “If I keep performing to the way I know I can, hopefully this will give me a big lift and hopefully I will get in soon.” Norwich fired off 21 shots toVilla’s 22 but their only clear chance was when Josip Drmic charged down Tom Heaton’s clearance for a late consolation.
NORWICH (4-2-3-1): McGovern 7; Aarons 6, Godfrey 5, Amadou 6, Lewis 5; McLean 5, Leitner 6; Buendia 5, Stiepermann 6 (Roberts 76), Cantwell 7 (Srbeny 80); Pukki 5 (Drmic 84). Goal: Drmic 87.
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Heaton 7; Guilbert 6, Engels 7 (Konsa 75), Mings 8, Targett 7; McGinn 8, Nakamba 7, Hourihane 8 (Douglas Luiz 78); El Ghazi 7 (Trezeguet 64), Wesley 8, Grealish 8. Goals: Wesley 14, 30, Grealish 49, Hourihane 61, Douglas Luiz 83. said: “My family was up in the box. They were there and I wanted to celebrate my goal in their direction.
“I didn’t get hit by any bottles – I didn’t even see any.”
Ayew now has three of Palace’s eight league goals this term.
WEST HAM (4-1-4-1): Roberto 6; Fredericks 7, Diop 6, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 6 (Zabaleta 84); Rice 6; Noble 7; Yarmolenko 6 (Wilshere 78), Lanzini 6 (Fornals 69, 6), Anderson 6; Haller 7. Goal: Haller 54.
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-3-3): Guaita 6; Ward 6, Kelly 6, Cahill 8, Van Aanholt 7; McArthur 6, Kouyate 6, McCarthy 7 (Townsend 81); Zaha 6, Ayew 6 (Benteke 90), Schlupp 5.
Goals: Van Aanholt 63 pen, Ayew 87.