Flair and flare-up but Zaha gives Palace lift
Wilfried Zaha was involved in controversy once again as he helped Crystal Palace to their first win in six games.
Zaha, in first-half added time, and second-half substitute Jeffrey Schlupp, scored the goals that halted Burnley’s momentum after back-to-back 3-0 wins over West Ham and Watford.
But Palace manager Roy Hodgson had to step in to separate Zaha in a bust-up with Burnley defender Phil Bardsley in the second half. Bardsley was booked for a strong challenge on Zaha before bending over the winger as he lay prostrate on the turf to deliver an uncomplimentary comment. The pair continued to exchange words and the fracas looked as if it might turn uglier until Hodgson stepped in on the touchline to keep the players apart.
“Phil was a bit frustrated,” Hodgson said. “He’d made the challenge adjudged to be a free-kick. I don’t think it was a bad decision. Wilf wants to explain the ref got it right and the next thing you know they are nose to nose. I never got the impression it was going to boil over.”
Zaha, wanted by Arsenal last summer, had gone 13 appearances this season without a goal before scoring against Liverpool last weekend. Now he has got two in two games and Hodgson is delighted with his form.
“He’s a good player isn’t he?” he said. “He’s capable of causing problems to any defence in the world. When he is in good form and concentrating like he was today, he’s also good defensively. He helped us enormously in that respect. The goal he scored, one or two chances he helped set up – that’s what we need from him. We never wanted to lose him. The club has never gone out to say ‘we’d like to see Wilfried Zaha sold.’ Crystal Palace and Burnley are in the same situation… when a player does well it’s not always that easy to keep hold of them.
“There’s a hierarchy. If you are Crystal Palace you have to accept there are bigger, richer clubs. I can’t say ‘stay and we’ll be in the Champions League next year.’ I’m happy the move didn’t materialise – he’s done exceptionally well to get over that and today we had an impressive victory.”
The first goal was trademark Zaha. He took Luka Milivojevic’s pass into the penalty area and made room on the outside of Bardsley to hit a shot that beat Nick Pope at his near post.
Substitute Schlupp made it 2-0 after 78 minutes when he took advantage of a miscued clearance by Ben Mee to fire through the legs of Pope.
England international Pope had the look of a man who knew he should have done better with both shots.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche was left regretting those defensive mistakes and uncharacteristic poor finishing by twin strikers Ashleigh Barnes and Chris Wood. James McArthur also cleared a Wood effort off the line, while keeper Vicente Guaita made a fingertip save from Jay Rodriguez late in the match.
“A couple of mistakes cost us the goals,” said Dyche. “Wood’s miss was the turning point because we were on the ascendancy at the time, we were building momentum.”