Beating Blades is so Eze
EAGLES SOAR TO VICTORY
EBERECHI EZE scored a brilliant individual goal, which underlined his talent, as the Crystal Palace star took the hapless Blades to the cleaners.
The £20million signing from QPR had already scythed through the United defence to create Christian Benteke’s second-minute opener.
But there was still time for him to add a delightful late second.
Collecting possession just inside his own half, the England Under-21 playmaker outfoxed Sheffield United substitute John Lundstram with some neat footwork on the left-hand touchline before advancing menacingly.
He went past Chris Basham and John Egan before hitting a right-foot shot which deflected off John Fleck and flew past Aaron Ramsdale, who had worked hard all game to keep the score down.
After the Eagles secured a ninth successive season in the Premier League, boss Roy Hodgson said: “Since we’ve been stuck on 38 points, it’s not occurred to me that we would end up in a relegation scrap.
“But this puts us over the 40-point mark and I’m delighted with that.
“We’ve done it with a group of players who have been very faithful to the club.
“Not just the four years in my time in charge, but even before that.
“The club has wanted to invest and help them out, so, hopefully, that will happen and we will get a boost with some new faces.”
The manner in which Palace were allowed to storm into the lead said everything about the Blades’ pitiful campaign this season.
Eze was given the freedom of Bramall Lane to advance forward inside the right channel, skip past a leaden-footed Egan and cross low into the box.
Benteke was unmarked at the near post and time seemed to stand still as he hit a low right-foot shot which
deflected off George Baldock and span past Ramsdale into the United net.
Belgium striker Benteke then had a point-blank header saved before firing against a post in the second half.
Blades skipper Egan spurned United’s best chance of an equaliser shortly after the interval when he sliced over from a corner.
But Eze broke forward late on to convert a second and secure the Eagles’ first win in five games, putting them beyond reach of third-bottom Fulham.
Hodgson (above), who is out of contract in the summer, vowed Eze would not be sold for big money after one season at Selhurst Park.
He added: “We’ve only just signed him – £15m with
£5m in add-ons – and it was
quite a big investment. I’m pretty sure that the club will make sure that any interest is warded off.
“We brought him in to play for us, not to make some small profit after one season.”
The Blades offered little in response as their nightmare season lurched closer to two unwanted records – most defeats and fewest goals scored in a Premier League campaign.
Caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom said: “The fact that we conceded in the first 90 seconds set the game up for Palace.
“With the way that they play and how good they are on the counter, it was perfect for them.
“It took us a long time to recover and get a foothold in the game – but there was no lack of effort.”
We’ve only just signed Eze and it was a big investment... we brought him in to play for us, not to make some small profit