Crystal Palace struggle to find attacking consistency as Wilf Zaha is the missing link in toothless display at Burnley

BY SAM SMITH

If there was any possibility that Crystal Palace had finally broken free from their inconsistent start to the campaign after their 4-1 thrashing of Leeds United, then those hopes were banished in Monday’s 1-0 defeat against Burnley.

The reverse at Turf Moor encapsulated the Eagles’ inability to put together a string of positive results. Whenever they take one step forward, it seems that they then immediately step backwards.

Cheikhou Kouyate’s rare lapse gifted the Clarets the only goal of the game. The Senegal international misjudged what should have been a simple clearance and headed the ball straight into the path of Jay Rodriguez. The Burnley man put Chris Wood through on goal, and the New Zealander thumped the ball beyond Vicente Guaita.

The South Londoners then proceeded to miss several opportunities to not only draw the game, but to take all three points.

James McArthur lacked conviction when Eberechi Eze found him on the left-hand side of the penalty area. The Scot could either pass the ball across goal for Michy Batshuayi or shoot from a tight angle but did neither.

Without Wilfried Zaha – who was self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 – Palace lacked a ruthless edge.

Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope was in excellent form when they did find the target. The former Charlton keeper spectacularly kept out a long-range Andros Townsend strike, and then stopped Christian Benteke with a point-blank save.

Benteke played the final 15 minutes. The Belgian was nearly through on goal late on but his sloppy touch allowed Ben Mee and James Tarkowski to recover and make a challenge. The lackadaisical nature of Benteke’s approach play summed up Palace’s night.

There were shades of Frank de Boer’s final game in charge when Palace lost to Burnley despite creating enough to win.

It is implausible that Hodgson will suffer the same consequences as De Boer after one disappointing result – but there exists some frustration that Palace can never seem to take control of their own fate.

Eagles winger Andros Townsend said: “If we have aspirations of finishing in the top 10, these are games you have to be winning.

“Yes, Burnley are a good side. They are tough to beat, but if you want to have a good season and break into the monopoly of the top 10, you have to win these games.”

Newcastle United’s visit to Selhurst Park tonight is part of a run of fixtures which look eminently winnable.

The Toon’s record of conceding in each of their games aside from their opening match is mirrored by the Eagles.

Palace (12) have scored more goals than the Tyneside outfit (10).

Eagles boss Roy Hodgson brushed aside talk of any concerns about his side being clinical enough, even though only Zaha (five) has scored more than once this season.

He said: “I’ve had two years listening to people tell me we don’t score enough goals or that we don’t have enough goalscorers.

“There are goals in the team. There are players who can score and will score. There are 29 games to go and the goals will come – and they will come from a range of sources.”

But losing against Burnley – after Zaha was so influential against Leeds – is proof of the difference in performance when Zaha is missing.

Beating Newcastle will put Palace back on track – perhaps the defeat against the Clarets will prove to be an anomaly across an excellent period of form.

But unless they win without the Ivorian, claims that the Eagles only do well when Zaha plays will remain.