Eberechi Eze had waited a very long time for this second. Greater than 18 months after his final objective right here, the Crystal Palace midfielder’s late winner ensured Patrick Vieira’s facet picked up solely their second Premier League victory of the season following a spirited comeback towards Leeds.
Eze missed the vast majority of final season as he recovered from the ruptured achilles tendon he sustained in Might 2021 however has proven indicators of being again to the shape that just about earned him an England call-up for Euro 2020. However whereas this was certainly not a classic efficiency from the 24-year-old after Palace fell behind to Pascal Struijk’s objective, Vieira can be delighted with the way in which he and his teammates responded to their early setback.
Odsonne Édouard’s equaliser after Patrick Bamford squandered an important probability towards his former membership gave Eze the platform to steal the headlines within the second half as Palace moved degree on factors with Jesse Marsch’s facet. On condition that Palace had did not report a victory since beating Aston Villa right here on 20 August and started the sport degree on factors with Wolves within the backside three, Vieira opted to go on the assault. Tyrick Mitchell misplaced his place at left-back to Jeffrey Schlupp, whereas there was a return in central defence for Joachim Andersen.
But when the prospect of seeing Eze and Michael Olise lining up in central midfield was an thrilling one for the house supporters, the truth was not fairly as convincing as Leeds took the initiative from the beginning. A poor again go from Marc Guéhi that compelled goalkeeper Vicente Guaita to provide away possession set the tone for a mistake-riddled opening from the hosts that culminated in Struijk’s early breakthrough.
A superb mazy dribble from the excellent Brenden Aaronson took him previous a number of half-hearted challenges and the American’s curling shot bounced again off the far put up into the trail of Struijk. His shot was straight at Joel Ward on the goalline however the ball discovered its manner by way of the Palace captain’s legs and into the online.
Issues might have been even worse for Vieira had Guaita not come to Palace’s rescue quickly afterwards when Bamford was performed by way of on objective. Marsch stated earlier than kick-off that the striker who ended his mortgage spell at Selhurst Park from Chelsea early again in 2015 after rising pissed off with an absence of alternatives underneath Alan Pardew is in “the strongest situation since I arrived right here”. However Bamford missed a golden probability to remind Palace followers of what they’ve been lacking when Guaita parried his early shot away to security.
A two-goal lead wouldn’t have flattered Leeds, such was their dominance, but Bamford’s miss was to show a pivotal second within the first half. Olise’s free-kick to the again put up was completely weighted for Édouard to information his header previous Illan Meslier and VAR determined that the striker was inches onside. There was a big delay when Jordan Ayew’s head wanted to be closely bandaged after a collision following a nook, though the Ghana ahead was allowed again on to the pitch nearly instantly.
Marsch – who was again on the touchline after serving a one-match ban for his dismissal towards Brentford – left the pitch in animated dialog with fourth official Graham Scott. Maybe in an try to copy their robust begin, Leeds have been despatched out early for the second half nevertheless it was Wilfried Zaha who compelled Meslier right into a save simply three minutes in. The Ivory Coast ahead had reportedly been feeling unwell earlier than the match and barely touched the ball till then.
Fortunately for Palace, they produce other sources of creativity today and a superbly weighted by way of ball from Eze for Ayew ought to have been dispatched earlier than Édouard headed over from Olise’s floated cross. Out of the blue the sport gave the impression to be Palace’s for the taking.
Marsch responded by withdrawing Bamford for Crysencio Summerville, whereas Ayew and Cheick Doucouré, after a very busy afternoon, made manner for Palace. For a couple of minutes, the substitutions appeared to have taken the tempo out of the sport. However there was no denying Eze his match-winning objective after a well-worked transfer down the left flank noticed Zaha flick the ball into his path from substitute Mitchell’s cross and the midfielder hammered dwelling his shot from the sting of the field.