Allardyce slams goal-shy strikers as Luka puts him in tight spot

Milivojevic

SAM ALLARDYCE was sunk by a player he signed to help save Crystal Palace as he was left to lament his latest loan deal.

Luka Milivojevic, who joined Palace in January 2017, scored his 22nd penalty from 24 spotkicks– the most in the Premier League since his arrival – to send the Baggies another step closer to the Championship.

If only Fireman Sam had such efficiency in his current team.

West Brom have scored a pitiful 20 goals in 29 games and on Saturday managed just one shot on target from 12 attempts. That effort came after 72 minutes from Mbaye Diagne, who has scored only once in nine games since his January loan signing from Galatasaray.

Allardyce (above) could have chosen many reasons for his side’s failure this season. But he picked out the lack of a natural goalscorer. And then he picked on the Senegal striker.

“If Mbaye had been onside, he might have got five or six goals, which would have made a difference to us,” he said.

“If he had been a better finisher when he was onside, it might be seven or eight goals he might have scored from the positions he has been in.

“Unfortunately that hasn’t happened for him and he has only got one goal. And the rest of the team haven’t managed to contribute either and that is really disappointing based on the chances they have created.”

Allardyce was asked if unused subs Callum Robinson (two goals in 21) and £15million October signing Karlan Grant (one in 17) were pushing to be included for the final nine games – from which he says his team need six wins if they are to stay up. “They would be in already if they had a better goalscoring record,” he said.

By contrast, Roy Hodgson knows he can rely on his captain Milivojevic from 12 yards.

“He doesn’t miss them and that is a vital thing to know,” he said. “It’s very reassuring indeed to have someone you have such confidence in from the spot. I knew there was a good chance the penalty would turn out to be the winning goal.”

There is no love lost between these two former England managers since Allardyce mocked Hodgson in the September 2016 sting which cost him (Allardyce) the Three Lions job.

Though Palace are safe and West Brom look doomed, Allardyce could still be at the Hawthorns next season, given all the uncertainty surrounding the club, while there are no guarantees for Hodgson, who has yet to be offered a new deal at Selhurst Park.

Palace co-owner Steve Parish tweeted: “It wasn’t a pretty match but we dug in for an important win as we head into the international break.”