Crystal Palace defender pinpoints reasons for Watford loss

BY MATT WOOSNAM

Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka believes that a lack of concentration cost his side dearly after his side threw away a lead in the defeat by Watford.

The right-back has had a phenomenal 12 months since making his debut, and aside from a one-match suspension, has been an ever-present this season, his maiden full campaign.

Wan-Bissaka was responsible for keeping his side in the game with a last-ditch clearance off the line from Gerard Deulofeu, and also provided a handful of excellent low crosses into the area which almost led to Palace goals.

“We’re disappointed with the result,” he told Palace TV. “To have been 1-0 up in the first half, we played well and lost it at the end with two goals.

“I don’t think anything changed. We just kept at it, playing like we did in the first half, but we lost concentration at a set-piece at the end.”

The 21-year-old was inches away from taking the ball of Tom Cleverley’s boot when the Hornets’ substitute thundered in a superb volley to secure the winning goal for his side, but he says there was little that could have been changed to stop the goal.

“There’s not really much we could do,” he said. “But as a team we should try to make a difference to it.”

Christian Benteke returned for the Eagles for the first time since the beginning of the season, and Wan-Bissaka was pleased to see the Belgian striker return to action, admitting he is capable of finding him with different types of crosses.

“I can do both [types of ball into the box], the low cross or with some height for Christian. He can get onto those well, it’s one of his strengths. We have to keep trying and we’ll get there in the end.”