Crystal Palace vs Newcastle United. Premier League.
Selhurst ParkAttendance25,486.
Palace 13th in Premier League table after victory, one place and two points above Newcastle; watch free highlights
Saturday 22 February 2020 20:58, UK
Patrick van Aanholt's first-half free-kick handed Crystal Palace a narrow 1-0 Premier League victory against Newcastle at a blustery Selhurst Park on Saturday.
In tricky conditions, the Eagles constantly dominated via set pieces and deservedly took the lead through former Sunderland left-back van Aanholt via a sweetly struck 25-yard free-kick on the stroke of half-time.
Palace continued to boss proceedings in the second half, with goalkeeper Martin Dubravka denying Jordan Ayew bravely from close range as the visitors struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Despite a bad-tempered denouement - there were seven yellow cards in total across the 90 minutes, five for Newcastle - Roy Hodgson's side closed out the result to secure their first win since Boxing Day.
The hosts started brighter and almost took the lead seven minutes in when Gary Cahill powered a floated James McCarthy corner towards goal but Newcastle's Dubravka made a fine fingertip save to deny Palace's captain.
Cahill's centre-back partner Scott Dann also came close to opening the scoring with a flicked header from another corner but Slovakian international Dubravka once again sailed through the air to claw it clear.
In windy conditions, Van Aanholt swung a superb free-kick onto the forehead of Christian Benteke but unmarked and only three yards out the Belgian nodded horribly wide while Cahill screamed in frustration at his team-mate's profligacy.
Since November 2015, none of the previous 92 shots from open play in this fixture had been scored - with all six goals coming via set-pieces before today - and once again a set-piece proved Newcastle's undoing.
Van Aanholt curled in a sharp left-footed free-kick with Palace's sixth and final shot on target of the half, the team having only managed five in their last two games. The finish also meant he overtook Dann as Palace's top-scoring defender in Premier League history with 13.
After the break, Hodgson's side could and perhaps should have gone ahead almost immediately. Van Aanholt almost turned provider when he slammed a low centre across the penalty area, but the lively Ayew could only scuff a low effort against the base of the post.
Magpies centre-back Fabian Schar wasn't too far off an equaliser when he thundered an effort from 30 yards towards the Palace goal but despite a slight deflection off James McArthur, Vicente Guaita tipped over with a strong hand.
Palace continued to dominate, though, and after a rampaging Beckenbauer-esque drive through midfield from Cheikhou Kouyate, Wilfried Zaha skipped effortlessly past two defenders and teed up Ayew but the Ghanaian telegraphed his effort and Dubravka pushed it out.
Capping off a niggly ending, Inter Milan loanee Valentino Lazaro was shown the red card for a cynical tug-back. Cenk Tosun dispossessed Sean Longstaff with a juicy, crowd-pleasing slide tackle before Ayew conjured a classy through ball to Zaha, bypassing three Newcastle defenders. Zaha burst past Lazaro with ease but despite the immediate red being brandished, the Ivorian slapped the turf in fury.
From the resulting free-kick, van Aanholt blazed over in the last kick of the match, failing to put the cherry on the cake - but Palace will be happy to move up to 13th, overtaking Newcastle and stretching to nine clear of the relegation zone after their first clean sheet in 11.
Newcastle, on the other hand, only have one victory in nine league games and seriously lack a cutting edge in attack, having gone scoreless in three for the first time since January 2016.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson: "I wouldn't have minded a few more goals - we would have deserved that. It would have solved some of the anxiety going into the last ten minutes when the opponent throws caution to the wind and you worry something might go against you.
"The winter break helped. We used it for what it was intended for, to forget about football. There was a bounce in everyone's steps and I thought it showed.
"We go into the next game with the knife a little bit further from the throat, but we have to keep going."
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce: "At the top end of the pitch, where it matters, the decision making has not been good enough. We didn't cause enough problems in the final third and that's what we have got to try and address.
"We've had enough possession but the final ball - we've found it a big struggle again.
"We are disappointed that the big Achilles heel was obvious, giving the ball away so cheaply, especially in the final third. We never really asked their defenders to defend properly and maybe it is time for a change."
Crystal Palace travel to bitter rivals Brighton next Saturday at 12.30pm, while Newcastle host Burnley at 3pm later that day.
