‘Enormous amount of points’ – Palace captain defends Guaita after Southampton mistake

By Andrew McSteen

Luka Milivojevic says Vicente Guaita had the credit to make a mistake due to the “enormous amount” of points the shotstopper has won Crystal Palace.

The Eagles lost 2-1 to fellow Premier League side Southampton in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday at Selhurst Park, with Guaita at fault for the Saints’ second.

The home side had taken a 1-0 lead through Odsonne Edouard in the first half before conceding two calamitous goals – one in each half – to end any dreams of a Wembley visit for a second consecutive season.

Southampton’s first goal in the 37th minute came from a wide free-kick from James Ward-Prowse. The former England midfielder sent a free-kick into the Palace box in the swirling wind, with both Joel Ward and Vicente Guaita misjudging the flight of the ball, and it sailed into the goal.

In the 68th minute, a back pass to Guaita on the edge of his box saw the Spanish goalkeeper hesitate with his clearance, allowing the onrushing Adam Armstrong to tackle the 35-year-old and pass the ball into an empty net.

“The first half, we really controlled the game, we had everything under control and had chances,” said Palace captain Luka Milivojevic, who came on in the match as a 64th substitute.

“Then, we conceded I would say, [it] wasn’t [a] chance, it was a free kick from the side, and that goal made them a little bit lively.

“In the second half, we started well and had the game under control, but we had an individual mistake.

“After that, we tried to recover, we had a couple of chances, but we didn’t make it and at the end, [it was] 2-1 to them.

“Football is a sport where people can make mistakes, and where players, goalkeepers, anyone, can make mistakes.

“Vicente is someone who has saved us so many times and given us an enormous amount of points because of his saves. We get so many points. In my mind, if someone has credit to make mistakes, it’s him.”

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD