RAFA TELLS WINLESS TOON FANS & PLAYERS: DON’T PANIC
Crystal Palace Newcastle
RAFA BENITEZ has told Newcastle’s players and fans not to panic after their winless run stretched to five games. Luka Milivojevic hit home a
THE good news for Palace is that they go next to an Everton side that can’t defend to save their lives.
The bad news for Newcastle is that Manchester United next Sunday will surely not be as wasteful in front of goal as Palace were yesterday.
The reality for both these sides is that they and their fans will be nervously looking over their shoulders during the final 12 games.
After looking like they’d clawed their way to safety, Palace are once again bang in trouble. They simply cannot afford to be so sleepy at both ends of the pitch as they were here.
Mo Diame was one of two players spare at the back to stab home the opener for Newcastle after 23 minutes.
Eagles keeper Wayne Hennessey was also forced into a double save shortly afterwards – first from Chelsea loanee Kenedy, then from Ayoze Perez – to stop the Magpies disappearing out of sight.
Islam Slimani, the new striker Rafa Benitez finally landed on loan from Leicester last week, was unable to play due to a thigh problem. That probably saved a Palace side who could have been out of it in the first half-anhour or so.
Instead they rallied and earned their reward. Midfielder Luka Milivojevic hit a penalty 10 minutes after half time after Christian Benteke had his shirt pulled in the box by defender Ciaran Clark.
Brainless? Yes. Benteke is so out of form he probably would not have scored anyway. The right decision by the assistant referee who flagged? Most definitely.
Boss Roy Hodgson has to find a way to restore the confidence that appears to have drained from the big Belgian striker, who has now netted just twice in 21 games. He clearly works hard to link play and it may just be a case of remaining patient and waiting for him to fight his way back to form, but Palace are running out of road. They need his A-game back fast.
Hodgson decided to leave new striker Alexander Sorloth on the bench as he’d seen the former Midtjylland marksman in just two training sessions.
He may now need to press the 22-year-old into action because Palace carved out enough chances to win emphatically here but just couldn’t finish them.
Twice in the first half Wilfried Zaha was denied by deflections. On the second occasion Benteke couldn’t reach the rebound in time. Yohan Cabaye and Andros Townsend spurned further chances while Benteke had two efforts blocked from close range late on.
As for Newcastle, you know the routine. Their bid to do it on the cheap (relatively speaking for the Premier League) will ensure a nervous final four months of the season.
Kenedy looks as though he will be a superb addition to the squad. If he can link up with Slimani then it may yet turn out OK for the Magpies.
Quite why Toon boss Benitez stays, however, is anybody’s guess. The former Liverpool boss is a man with the pedigree to leave the hapless owner Mike Ashley to stew in his own mediocrity.
Newcastle’s fans quite rightly gave the owner both barrels once again.
That Ashley won’t care a hoot tells you everything.