There are no doubts over the calibre of Sam Allardyce as the English man is very good when it comes to managing struggling clubs. Allardyce’s prestige was severely dented by a sting operation by a leading English newspaper where he was seen bargaining a fee to give an advantage to a certain firm. His ouster as an England manager what according to him was the dream job, gave the chance to the Eagles to secure the help of him to drag them from the relegation zone.
Palace won the last three matches to pull themselves to the 16th place but still are in no respite. Given his record ‘Big Sam’ has pulled off some miraculous wonders when he saved Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland from relegation in the past. Will he be able to repeat the feat?
Strongest Crystal palace Lineup To Ensure a Respectable finish In This Season
Defence
Wayne Hennessey has been one of the most underrated keepers in the Premier League. The 30-year-old shot-stopper hasn’t conceded a single goal in the last three matches.
Jeffrey Schlupp’s performance in the last few matches in place of injured Patrick van Holt has shown Palace’s bench strength and Allardyce might give the youngster a few more chances to prove himself.
The impact of Mamadou Sakho cannot be ignored. The Liverpool reject has been on the top of his form since his arrival and looked pretty good despite the fact that he was out of touch with football for a brief period. His partnership with James Tomkins has boosted their chances of survival.
Joel Ward’s productive display on the right side could prove to be the deciding factor in the upcoming games.
Midfield
Luka Milivojevic was absolutely outstanding in the last match against Watford. He was all over the ground and helped the Palace defence by intercepting the opposition attacks. His form would be crucial for Allardyce.
Yohan Cabaye still has it in him and if he is on song, he can single handedly destroy the opponents. Jason Puncheon has complimented him well to build a very good partnership in the central midfield.
Attack
Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend are two of the fiercest wingers in the Premier League. Zaha has been one of the shining lights for the Eagles. He had the knack of getting late while releasing the final ball but he has worked hard and has improved his game a lot. Townsend has blistering pace and can be very dangerous.
Goals will be coming and Christian Benteke will have to take the chance that comes to him.
