Upsetting the odds: When Palace smash the favourites on the road

Club

16 Apr 2024

When Crystal Palace head to the biggest stadiums in the land, there is a tendency for them to be written off before a ball has been kicked. After another famous victory at Anfield on Sunday, they laid down another reminder as to why it has always been a foolish approach.

Since promotion in 2013, Palace have only gone three seasons without winning away from home against one of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

This season has seen them win at both Old Trafford and Anfield in the league for the first time, after winning at both the Etihad and the Emirates in 2018/19.

So let’s have a look back at some of the very best…

Auf Wiedersehen, Jürgen

Palace have been a particular scourge of Jürgen Klopp’s sides, usually so imperious at Anfield, winning three times in his nine years at the club.

The first came under Alan Pardew in 2015, as Yannick Bolasie and Scott Dann scored the goals, before a Christian Benteke double against his former club in 2017.

The hat-trick was completed on Sunday thanks to Ebere Eze’s winner. It’s safe to say Klopp won’t be pining for his Premier League battles with Palace any time soon.

2 minute highlights: Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

Puskás against Pep

Has there been a better Premier League volley than Andros Townsend’s at the Etihad? Apologies to any Tony Yeboah enthusiasts, but surely that rasping, ferocious strike is the very best. It was nominated for FIFA’s Puskás Award marking the best goal at any level in the professional game that season.

Palace held on in a dramatic encounter to win 3-2, but it wasn’t the only fantastic victory against Pep Guardiola’s side.

In 2021, the Eagles recorded another victory at the Etihad – but this time kept a clean sheet in the process.

Wilfried Zaha – who else? – put Palace ahead inside six minutes, before Aymeric Laporte was sent off just before the break. Palace clung on, before breaking forwards in the dying minutes for Conor Gallagher to seal the result and spark bedlam in the away end.

Performing at the Theatre

Joachim Andersen’s fantastic half-volley was enough for Palace to take all three points from Old Trafford this season, coming through a turgid affair in biblical conditions to return to south London happy.

It made it three Premier League victories at the Theatre of Dreams, after back-to-back results in 2019 and 2020.

The first was the most dramatic, with Patrick van Aanholt scoring a 92nd minute winner after Daniel James had seemed to earn Manchester United a last-minute point.

Match Action: Man Utd 0-1 Crystal Palace

The second came in the strange period of games played behind closed doors, with Wilfried Zaha returning to haunt his former side, scoring twice.

Conquering north London

Palace’s sole Premier League victory at the Emirates – there have been plenty more at Selhurst Park – was a blockbuster: a five-goal thriller with the unlikeliest of heroes.

The Eagles had taken the lead through Christian Benteke in the first-half, but Arsenal scored just after the break to take the ascendency, and soon they were pushing to take the lead.

Best of the PL: Arsenal 2-3 Crystal Palace | 2019

But Palace were not to be cowed, and were ahead again on the hour-mark thanks to Zaha, before James McArthur popped up with a rare goal to put the result within their reach.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got one back for the Gunners to set up a nervy ending with 15 minutes remaining, but the Eagles held on to take all three points south of the river.

Brilliance at the Bridge

One of Palace’s greatest Premier League results came against Chelsea at Selhurst Park, after seven straight defeats to start the season – but we’re focused on massive results away from home.

The Eagles’ first came in 2015, as Bakary Sako and Joel Ward – yes, Joel Ward – scored the goals to put Palace second in the table. Alright, it was August, but still.

Then, in 2017, they took it up a level. Chelsea were top of the table in April under Antonio Conte and were on their way to winning the title, but they took a rare misstep in the run-in thanks to Luka Milivojevic and co.

It was a wild start to the game that decided the result. Cesc Fabregas put Chelsea ahead inside five minutes, but four minutes later Zaha equalised, before Benteke added another inside 120 seconds. Then the long wait ensued, and Palace held on.

What a result.

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