McArthur on mark as Palace all but seal Premier slot
AT FULL-TIME, the celebrations at Selhurst Park were those of a club that know their Premier League status is all but assured. There were handshakes, hugs, pats on backs.
A few fans decided to bow in the direction of Wilfried Zaha too, and who can blame them? The 25-year-old truly is the prince of Crystal Palace.
Zaha scored, assisted, then was rugby tackled in a one-onone situation that led to a red card for Marc Albrighton and a final nail in Leicester’s coffin.
Where would Palace be without Zaha? Quite possibly, preparing themselves for the Championship. Instead, another season in the Premier League awaits.
This was Palace’s biggest win in the top division since December 1972 when they beat Manchester United 5-0 and they had five separate scorers.
Zaha, James McArthur, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Patrick van Aanholt and Christian Benteke all got in on the act.
They may not be mathematically safe but Roy Hodgson knows it would take something special for them to collapse. ‘It’s dangerous, I suppose,’ he said. ‘Miracles do happen. We are probably on the cusp of one ourselves. It irritates me to hear managers going on about mathematician possibilities. So many things have to happen.’
Hodgson’s miracle work has seen him transform a team that started the season by losing their opening seven games, all without scoring. He deserves the highest credit for this.
‘There is only one Roy Hodgson,’ the Palace support sang. The Croydon boy, now aged 70, came in and gave them a fighting chance.
What we also learned here is that Leicester under Claude Puel are clueless. This was embarrassing from the former English champions.
‘We tried to come back but we conceded goals in the last ten minutes, a catastrophe in the last few minutes,’ said the softly-spoken Puel.
‘It’s important to stay together at this difficult moment. It is tough. The speculation about my future is not important.’
Palace’s stunning opener would not have looked out of place at the Nou Camp.
In front of England boss Gareth Southgate, top build-up play by Loftus-Cheek saw the midfielder nutmeg Riyad Mahrez then feed Yohan Cabaye.
Cabaye found McArthur, who back-heeled the ball to Zaha and the Palace hero thumped it into the back of the net.
Shortly before half-time, it became 2-0 with Zaha passing to McArthur, who controlled, turned and shot into the corner.
Leicester were deflated. Puel looking like a man who did not have any answers.
In the 56th minute, Leicester were left down to ten men after Albrighton dragged down Zaha, who would have been left one on one with Hamer.
At first, referee Mike Dean did not give anything for the try-saving tackle.
It was his assistant who decided it was a foul.
Albrighton argued but walked down the tunnel. They were a man down, had no substitutes left and trailed by two goals.
Palace showed no sympathy. They bagged a third through Loftus-Cheek after a throughball by Mamadou Sakho and the Three Lions hopeful rounded Hamer like he was not there.
They were not done. Jeffrey Schlupp tested Hamer but the ball broke to Van Aanholt, who slotted it into the empty net.
The Eagles were well and truly flying.
And there was still time for a fifth when Benteke was bundled over by Harry Maguire. Luka Milivojevic, the usual taker, was stood over the spot but Benteke fancied it.
The last time he did this, he missed against Bournemouth. This time, he didn’t.
The striker had not scored at Selhurst Park since May of last year and looked rather relieved to put that statistic to bed.
For Palace, Premier League safety is all but theirs. For Leicester, if they continue to play like this under Puel, they will be in a relegation scrap next season.