Five takeaways as Crystal Palace fight back for deserved draw against Leicester – Olise stamps his mark and sparks comeback

Crystal Palace came back from 2-0 down to pick up a point against Leicester City, with second-half goals from substitutes Michael Olise and Jeffrey Schlupp extending Patrick Vieira’s unbeaten Selhurst Park record.

Vieira named an unchanged line-up from the side that drew 1-1 with rivals Brighton, with Jordan Ayew keeping his place in the starting 11 despite missing a chance to win all three points on Monday when he was one-on-one with Robert Sanchez.

Here are Edmund Brack’s five takeaways from Selhurst Park:

OLISE STAMPS HIS MARK

Given a standing ovation when he replaced Jordan Ayew in the 54th minute, Michael Olise immediately brought an energetic surge to Selhurst Park and Vieira’s side.

It didn’t take long for the 19-year-old to make an important impact. After a Leicester body blocked his first shot inside the area, Olise hammered home his first goal in Palace colours to bring his side back into the game.

At £8million, Palace look to have gained themselves a bargain. Comfortably adapting to Premier League life, Olise’s directness and ability to drive forward change the game for Palace.

He became the first teenager to score for the Eagles in the Premier League since Clinton Morrison in May 1998.

ATTACKING SUBSTITUTES MAKE IMPACT

While Michael Olise’s influence was crucial in sparking the comeback, Jeffrey Schlupp’s impact was instant, drawing Vieira’s side level after being on the pitch for 48 seconds.

Scoring with his second touch after he replaced Conor Gallagher, Schlupp finished off James McArthur’s header back into the box, drawing the game level and becoming the second-quickest goalscoring substitute in Premier League history.

Schlupp could have won all three points in the final stages of the match, but his header glanced just wide of the post.

The attacking nature of Vieira’s choices off the bench, with three attacking players being brought on to change the game, was a bold strategy that paid off.

HANGOVER FROM MONDAY AS PALACE START SLOWLY 

With the disappointment of Monday night’s late equaliser still lingering in the air at Selhurst Park, it was crucial that Palace started the game on the front foot.

Vieira’s side had a burst of early enthusiasm, with a combination of Odsonne Edouard and Jordan Ayew putting pressure on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal within the first three minutes. Two quickfire shots from Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher, which were both saved by Schmeichel’s feet, cranked up the noise inside the stadium.

While their pressing wasn’t as ferocious as on Monday evening, Gallagher, Zaha, and Edouard tried to close down the opposition multiple times in the first 10 minutes.

CLINICAL VISITORS PUNISHED PALACE EARLY ON

Although some of the blame could have been laid at Marc Guehi’s door for Brighton’s equaliser on Monday, his centre-back partner Joachim Andersen was totally at fault for Leicester’s opener this afternoon.

Andersen was caught in possession by Kelechi Iheanacho, who, with the goal at his mercy, sat Vicente Guaita down the wrong way and gave the visitors the lead against the run of play.

Brendan Rodgers’ side doubled their lead in the 37th minute when Luka Milivojevic lost the ball in the centre of the pitch, allowing Harvey Barnes to drive at the Palace defence and play through Jamie Vardy for their second.

A STRONG END TO THE FIRST STAGE OF THE SEASON

While Vieira would have been disappointed with the way his side started the game this afternoon, Palace’s fightback resembled their start to the season.

Since the international break, the Eagles have only fallen to defeat to title contenders Liverpool, picking up all three points against Tottenham and two draws against Brighton and Leicester.

Vieira’s style of play and summer signings are beginning to take shape and fall into place. And as Olise grows into Premier League life and Eberechi Eze and Nathan Ferguson step up their recovery from long-term injuries, there is a youthful core of exciting talent to build this side upon.

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD