SEVIEN UP!
Pat’s Palace continue their run of form
PATRICK VIEIRA is convinced there is more to come from his Crystal Palace side after stretching their impressive unbeaten run to seven games in this Turf Moor thriller.
A brilliant brace from striker Christian Benteke and defender Marc Guehi’s first professional goal put the confident Eagles on course for a third successive victory.
But goals from Ben Mee and Chris Wood – added to Maxwel Cornet’s stunning second-half volley – secured a well-deserved point for the Clarets.
“It was a crazy game, but that was a good game for the neutral,” said Palace boss Viera.
“We played really well and created some good chances, and we showed character to come back from 2-1 down.
“But the team need to grow and we need more maturity to manage the game better.
“We can also be more dangerous at times – I believe there is more to come from the team going forward.”
Benteke rifled the Eagles ahead with their first chance after only eight minutes, a sweet strike which flew in off the inside of the post.
England and Chelsea loan star Conor Gallagher should have doubled the lead less than a minute later, but he shot straight at keeper Nick Pope.
Josh Brownhill curled a free-kick agonisingly over for the hosts, but the Clarets then turned an absorbing contest on its head with two goals in eight frantic minutes.
First, skipper Mee headed Ashley Westwood’s inswinging corner home at the back post to restore parity.
Marquee signing Cornet had a penalty appeal turned down before striker Wood headed James Tarkowski’s nod back into the bottom corner for his 50th Premier League goal.
However, Palace needed less than 10 minutes to level.
Benteke bagged his second – and his fourth goal in five league games – by clinically slotting home from Gallagher’s cut-back shortly after the half-hour mark as the Clarets were caught cold by a fine counter-attack.
Wilfried Zaha shot wide with a powerful shot from distance, but the Eagles scored their third goal three minutes before the break when Guehi lashed home through a crowd of bodies. Johann
Gudmundsson smashed wide two minutes after the restart, before Cornet lashed into the top corner with his thunderous volley. Zaha thought he’d made it 4-3 just after the hour, but Pope produced a fine fingertip save to deflect his fierce volley on to the bar.
Matej Vyrda should have won it for the home side at the death, only to see his point-blank strike brilliantly saved by Vicente Guaita.
Furious Clarets manager Sean Dyche blasted referee Simon Hopper for some of his “bizarre” decisions, especially for not giving a lastman sending off when Wood went sprawling after a tussle with Joachim Andersen early in the second half.
“The referee had one of those games, it wasn’t the level we would hope for,” slammed Dyche. “I didn’t think he was clear-minded.
“We didn’t start well and we were on the back foot, but the second half was better, we were a lot braver. We had a big chance to win.”