SAM’S SINKING
Milivojevic sends Allardyce’s Albion closer to the drop
THE music coming out of the Selhurst Park speakers was dramatic, as if we were waiting for Dermot O’Leary to reveal who was being booted off X Factor.
After the lengthy wait came the verdict: penalty to Crystal Palace. With t hat, Luka Milivojevic blasted the ball into the bottom right corner and Roy Hodgson’s side were winners.
To referee Simon Hooper and VAR Mike Dean’s credit, it was the right call to award the spotkick. The only complaint can be how long it took them to come to the conclusion, as the backing music built the tension while
Dean drew lines and watched countless replays.
We got there in the end. Darnell Furlong did indeed use an arm to block the ball and West Brom’s situation seems more desperate than ever. This was a game they had to win. Losing seriously hurts Sam Allardyce’s chances of maintaining his record of having never being relegated as a manager. ‘We gave away a silly penalty, which we can ill afford to do,’ said Allardyce.
‘Our chances created in the opposition box was there but our finishing, again, wasn’t up to scratch. A natural finisher scores one in two chances, one in three chances. We don’t have that clinical finisher.’
Asked if West Brom can stay up, Allardyce answered: ‘If we win six out of nine, yeah.’
Neither of these managers might be in charge of these clubs next season. Roy Hodgson’s Palace contract expires at the end of this campaign, while Allardyce’s includes a break clause in the event that — as is looking likely — West Brom drop down.
Chris Wilder is already being linked with taking over from both. For Palace, chairman Steve Parish and Co need to decide in what direction they want to take this club.
Hodgson has warned supporters about the dangers of over-ambition in recent weeks. His cautious comments aren’t the most inspiring, and they might concern someone like Wilfried Zaha who wants to be competing towards the top rather than meandering in midtable.
‘Do we think we’ re safe? No ,’ Hodgson said. ‘To be safe you need to have more points than there are games remaining. But of course we are safer, thanks to this victory.’
When Zaha is on the pitch, he naturally draws attention as Palace’s most exciting player. Yet eyes were on him for an entirely different reason yesterday. While every other player took the knee, Zaha stood tall, making him the first in the Premier League to stop performing the gesture at kickoff.
Zaha’s representatives released a statement to coincide with his decision, explaining why he feels the practice has lost its meaning. Hodgson said: ‘I read his statement which was very well put together and articulate. It’s a statement all of us can agree with.
‘Wilf’s not alone in being a person who thinks maybe taking the knee has been a ritual rather than a massive statement.’
It was a cautious opening half hour. Hodgson and Allardyce are pragmatists and the players weren’t taking many risks. Yet Palace were able to take the lead in the 37th minute, because of an incident in the 34th.
It started with Zaha swinging a ball into the box which hit West Brom’s Furlong before Mi livoje vic struck a vicious volley that needed tipping over the crossbar. As Palace prepared for the corner, VAR Dean told Hooper to pause play. He had spotted a handball by Furlong, and the dramatic music started to emerge from Selhurst’s speakers. It became obvious Dean felt it was a penalty, as he started giving us a trigonometry lesson by drawing lines here, there and everywhere in checking for an offside beforehand. Palace and West Brom’s players were waiting for an answer, then Hooper was sent to his monitor. After almost three minutes of deliberations, a decision: penalty to Palace. Milivojevic, having just seen his stupendous volley saved, beat goalkeeper Sam Johnstone this time by burying the ball in the bottom right corner. Now Palace had a lead to protect. West Brom were on top at the start of the second half. Conor Gallagher was proving a handful, while Matt Phillips blasted a volley from an inviting position into the stands. Palace were sitting deep but looked dangerous on the counter. One breakaway sent Christian Benteke through but the striker took too long to shoot. His angle narrowed and Johnstone saved. West Brom aren’t used to having the ball . They came into this ranking 20 th in the Premier League for possession, but they were having the majority here. here Unfortunately for Allardyce, they couldn’t do much with it. West Brom left as losers and they are another step closer to having their relegation to the Championship confirmed.