NO TALISMAN, NO PROBLEM AT LONG LAST FOR ROY’S BOYS
Palace’s suspended talisman, who sat in the stand sheltering from the cold, wind and rain with only his eyes showing through a welter of clothes, watched as they chalked up only their second win in 12 games.
It’s a good moment for the club who know they could lose Zaha during the January transfer window.
A strike from Luka Milivojevic was the outstanding moment of a game that never stood out.
The neutrals watching must have felt like crying but for Palace fans a first win without Zaha since August 2016 meant nothing but sunshine.
Palace weren’t good. The same could be said about Leicester.
If they had produced a better supply line to striker Jamie Vardy it might have ended differently.
Both sides failed create decent openings either down the flanks or through midfield.
Not that Palace manager Roy Hodgson
was worried, despite a facing dauntin g trip to
Manchester City next week.
He said: “I like to think we can show we can also win games without Wilf, although any team would miss a player like him. The facts show we can, although I am sure his name won’t disappear from this match.
“It wasn’t a pretty game though both defences were excellent.
“The goal probably deserved a better game but I am not complaining. We have played better and lost. That is satisfying for a change.
“It wasn’t easy. We lost our keeper, Wayne Hennessey, before the game with a back spasm, although I thought Vicente Guaita had a marvellous game, even at short notice.
“I always knew Luka had that type of goal in him because he hits a ball with incredible accuracy from 20-25 yards.“
Leicester boss Claude Puel said: “One moment settled the game. We needed to keep the ball better but we improved in the second half and I thought we were unlucky not to get something. We will continue with our style and hopefully put things right again.”
The Foxes could never deliver the killer pass and had Vardy limping from the ninth minute.
Palace, without Zaha, are a rudderless ship. Andros Townsend, having one of his best seasons for years, worked hard but he rarely had support.
But Townsend, always probing, worked with Aaron wan- Bissaka to offer Milivojevic a juicy chance to strike at goal and he accepted with glee, driving home in the 39th minute for only Palace’s fifth home Premier League goal of the season.