Sakho sets shining example as Palace start to see light
CRYSTAL Palace spent the entire summer chasing Mamadou Sakho. Yesterday, we caught a snapshot of why.
Colossal in the heart of defence, match-winner at the other end — Sakho was Palace’s all-action hero. Wearing the captain’s armband, the Frenchman dragged his team to a victory that should galvanise a football club down on its haunches.
Arms aloft, Roy Hodgson stood in his technical area contemplating the importance of Sakho’s injury-time winner.
Hodgson argues his team have not got the points their performances have deserved in recent weeks. It’s ironic then that Palace were fortunate to emerge victorious against Stoke.
‘For long periods I thought we were heading for a draw, I felt for Stoke because they played well,’ admitted the Palace boss.
‘This is first real slice of luck we’ve had. They played well but fighting spirit can get you far. After the last six games we have started to turn things round but we haven’t always been rewarded with victories.’
Hodgson’s opposite number Mark Hughes was left scratching his head as to how his side left with nothing after Xherdan Shaqiri fired Stoke ahead with a brilliant individual effort.
Stoke created enough chances to have won this game before Sakho’s late intervention — but that was no comfort to the Potters’ boss.
Hughes said: ‘I’m wondering how we lost it. We restricted them to very few clear-cut chances but we have allowed them to score twice.
‘We had more than enough chances to win this game. But you’ve got take chances and defensively we are not where we want to be.’
In the end, Hodgson was rewarded for being bold. He showed his ruthless streak by axing goalkeeper Julian Speroni and defender Scott Dann following the pair’s calamitous mix-up that cost Palace victory against Everton last week, Wayne Hennessey and James Tomkins replacing the duo.
His decision to take off defensive-minded midfielder James McArthur for centre forward Christian Benteke at half-time is also worthy of mention.
The Eagles manager had to do something. For all the talk of improvement under the former England manager, the cold facts are had to escape.
Five points from a possible 24 before this clash painted a bleak picture. Today, while they remain bottom of the table, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Palace are just three points adrift of safety. Stoke’s predicament isn’t as alarming, but their three-point cushion from the bottom three is hardly comfortable. After a largely turgid first-half, the game exploded into life in the 53rd minute, Shaqiri lighting up the south London sky with a breathtaking solo goal. Hodgson will point to Wilfried Zaha losing the ball in midfield, but that would detract from what followed as the Switzerland international drove skilfully towards goal before unleashing an unstoppable low drive from the edge of the area past Hennessey.
Selhurst Park fell silent. The fans have grown far too familiar with this. But Palace were back on level terms just three minutes laster, Ruben Loftus-Cheek scoring his first goal for the club after taking advantage of some sloppy Stoke defending.
Stoke missed two golden chances to win the game through Jese and Ryan Shawcross and they were punished for their wastefulness in stoppage time as Sakho tapped home from three yards after Yohan Cabaye’s effort had cannoned off the post.