ZA- ZA’S ZOOMING!
Palace star’s cranking
ROY HODGSON’S promise that there was plenty more to come from red-hot Wilfried Zaha proved spot on.
The Crystal Palace winger showed yesterday his dazzling, scintillating best at Craven Cottage as he put sorry Fulham to the sword.
Zaha produced his fifth assist in six games to set up a first Palace goal for the club’s forgotten £7.5million Dutch midfielder Jairo Riedewald.
And then he sealed the points for the visitors midway through the second half with his fifth strike of the campaign.
If anyone doubts Zaha is now firing on all cylinders, the fact he has already matched his goal and assist stats for the whole of 2019-20 ends the debate.
Eagles chief Hodgson said: “Wilfried was great today – making one and scoring one. He has started this season so well.
“I’ve never doubted his commitment to the cause and that he’s going to win us matches with his skill and ability. We’re very happy with him and he’s happy here.
“He was a constant thorn in the side of Fulham. We could have scored more.”
As for the plight of his old club Fulham, Hodgson added: “They’re close to my heart and I hope they stay up. I believe they will.”
Maybe, but one point from a possible 18 is Fulham’s worstever start in the Premier League.
Craven Cottage boss Scott Parker moaned: “Confidence is an issue. At 0- 2, versus a team comfortable without the ball, it became difficult.”
Fulham host relegation rivals West Brom next Monday and Parker admitted: “It’s a massive game – but today was a massive game and we’re still sitting here without the points.”
Fulham got their top- flight campaign running a week ago with a hard-earned draw at Sheffield United.
But if they had hoped to continue here where they left off at Bramall Lane they were sorely disappointed.
Yes, they had plenty of possession but the majority of the best openings came from the Eagles. Palace ace Zaha was impressive – and with a bit more fortune might have had a hat-trick in 30 minutes.
Come the interval he had nothing on his tally, but played his part in creating his side’s deserved opener.
It arrived eight minutes in when Zaha cut through the Fulham rearguard and forced a superb save from Alphonse Areola.
The rebound fell to the Palace man, who this time slipped in Riedewald to clip in past the stranded Areola.
Soon after, Zaha was again running the hosts’ rearguard ragged and only the sharp reflexes of Areola prevented him doubling the lead.
But he had only himself to blame for flashing a header wide at the far post in the 23rd minute after a pinpoint pass from Andros Townsend.
After that, Fulham finally woke up to their task – and created some pressure of their own.
It was almost rewarded with a 26th minute equaliser when deadline-day arrival Ademola Lookman, who netted last weekend, came close to repeating the trick.
Antonee Robinson put him clear but Lookman’s effort hit a post.
A secondhalf
Wilfried was great today. I’ve never doubted his commitment to the cause. We are very happy with him and he’s happy here.
fightback seemed unlikely, and became out of the question when Palace grabbed a killer second on 64 minutes.
Michy Batshuayi was the architect this time, skipping down the right before crossing for Zaha to fire in from a yard out.
To crown a poor day for Fulham, sub Aboubakar Kamara got a straight red at the death for a savage foul on Eberechi Eze – putting in the shade skipper Tom Cairney’s blistering 25-yarder in added time.