While Alan Pardew and his men at Crystal Palace are in desperate need of a striker who can score goals, Dele Alli scored a sensational volley to show the Eagles how it’s done at Selhurst Park today.
Palace took on Tottenham on Saturday in a game that saw all four goals scored by Spurs players in a 3-1 win. reiterating Palace’s lack of goals from their own strikers. It was Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen who scored a frustrating own goal that saw Spurs head into the second half 1-0 down.
Harry Kane equalised with a header from close-range before Dele Alli scored an outrageous volley with skill that should be beyond the abilities of a 19-year-old. Alli controlled the ball facing away from the goal and flicked it over his head before striking the ball on the turn and into the back of the net. Nacer Chadli did not want to miss out on the fun or to be outshone, when he scored a superb goal from outside the box. Alli assisted this goal in just another show of the young gun’s evolution.
Spurs are now five points in front of Manchester United in fourth place, just two points behind Arsenal in third position. The win cements Tottenham as a dominant force in this year’s battle for top four, or possibly the Premier League title. Leicester are only five points in front after another impressive display against Stoke, which saw another notable English striker in Jamie Vardy break his 10 hours and 17-minute duck. Tottenham have never finished within the top three of the Premier League either.
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Spurs are also racking up the records and are the team that has scored the most points after coming back from losing positions. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have now won 14 points after being behind. Hugo Lloris was also in fine fettle, making fantastic saves, including one that denied Frazier Campbell in the 88th minute, before Tottenham scored a third through Chadli deep into injury time.
Crystal Palace’s strikers have scored just one goal this season courtesy of Connor Wickham, who has had a season blighted by injury since joining Palace from Sunderland back in August. Compared to Tottenham who have the fifth-best goalscorer in the league in Harry Kane (13 goals in 23 games after scoring at Selhurst Park), Palace’s top goalscorer was Dwight Gayle, with 10.
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The Eagles had also failed to score in their last five Premier League games before Tottenham defender Vertonghen gifted them a first half lead. The team is in desperate need of goals and a reliable striker. This game also marks six games without a win for Pardew’s men, and if the side is to finish within the top 10 for the third season in a row, getting back to winning ways is imperative as they have now dropped to 11th after such a solid start.
The South Londoners have only won four home games out of all 12 games at Selhurst this season.
Palace seemed to be moving closer to scoring goals, with Scott Dann hitting the underside of the crossbar with a header following a free kick from Jason Puncheon. Mile Jedinak also hit the bar with a well struck shot.
But Dann is a centre-back and Australian Jedinak is traditionally a defensive midfielder, not players to rely on in terms of goalscoring prowess.
Crystal Palace need a striker. They need one fast, and Alan Pardew knows that.
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