PERFECT PALACE
Sako and McArthur seal dramatic victory
JAMES McARTHUR scored an injury-time winner as Palace came from behind to seal a dramatic win.
Watford were heading for victory until their midfielder Tom Cleverley was sent off for a second booking after 87 minutes.
A minute later Bakary Sako equalised before McArthur tucked the ball home from Wilfried Zaha’s cross.
The victory took Palace out the bottom three for the first time this season.
Daryl Janmaat had earlier piled on the misery for Christian Benteke as the Crystal Palace striker attempted to make up for his penalty shocker.
Benteke had been warned by boss Roy Hodgson he needed to win over the fans after his spot-kick miss on Saturday against Bournemouth.
Missing
The mixed reception when the Belgian striker’s name was read out before kick-off confirmed the matter was not closed for some supporters.
Janmaat’s third-minute header made the striker’s decision to grab the ball off team-mate Luka Milivojevic appear even more costly.
The Watford wing-back’s strike put Marco Silva’s men in control as the Eagles defence went missing with the game barely underway.
Hodgson had been handed a major blow last weekend when defender Mamadou Sakho was ruled out until the new year with a calf problem.
The rejigged defence looked all over the place as Richarlison’s third-minute cross was allowed to reach Janmaat, who headed in unmarked at the far post.
Worse could have followed had James Tomkins not managed to get in the way of Richarlison’s 10th-minute shot.
Sakho’s replacement Scott Dann made two crucial interventions to stop Watford extending their lead.
A late tackle on Janmaat stopped the wing-back getting a clear sight of goal before a vital touch wrong-footed Troy Deeney before the Hornets skipper steered Richarlison low cross wide.
While Hodgson’s side were clinging on at the back, they made precious little headway against a formidable Watford backline.
Silva had been frustrated Marvin Zeegelaar failed to have his red card on Saturday overturned but Sebastian Prodl stepped in to fill the gap. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Speroni; Fosu-Mensah (Sako 70), Tomkins, Dann, Schlupp; Townsend (Van Aanholt 66), Cabaye (McArthur 76), Milivojevic, Loftus-Cheek; Zaha, Benteke. Subs: Hennessey, Lee, Kelly, Riedewald. WATFORD (3-4-3): Gomes; Mariappa, Prodl, Kabasele; Janmaat, Cleverley, Doucourre, , Holebas; Carrillo (Pereyra 70), Deeney (Gray 80); Richarlison (Femina 84). Subs: Karnezis, Success, Watson, Capoue. Referee: Lee Mason.