It has been a successful couple of weeks for Crystal Palace.
The Eagles have won each of their last two matches by a scoreline of 1-0, which has seen them jump up the Premier League table and away from the relegation battle. They now have 36 points – only four from the magic 40 – and would need to endure a complete collapse to see themselves now drop down to the second tier.
Their latest victory, against Brighton, was perhaps a tad fortunate. The Seagulls dominated the match, managing 66% possession and 23 shots to 12, but in the end it was Palace who claimed all three points thanks to Jordan Ayew’s strike – his seventh of the season in the Premier League.
It was also promising for Roy Hodgson’s side to keep a second clean sheet in successive matches. From a defensive point of view, they have been impressive this season, only conceding 32 goals in the top flight – just six sides have managed less.
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It is surprising to see how big a role Scott Dann has played in that aspect of Palace’s play considering he has spent much of the campaign as a spectator. He has started just six matches in the league this season, with eight appearances overall in the competition.
Yet his influence has been felt when he has played. The London outfit have kept eight clean sheets so far this campaign, and Dann has been included in the starting line-up for four of them – they have conceded just twice overall with him in the side. Despite this eye-catching record, though, Hodgson continues to prefer James Tomkins over him.
6 foot 2 Dann might be 33 and approaching the end of his career, but he still has plenty to offer at the back. His performance at the Amex Stadium was a case in point – he made six clearances, three tackles and won four out of his seven duels.
Just because he is older, it doesn’t mean that he has lost the ability to appear on a regular basis. Surely he has done enough to prove his boss wrong. He now has to be a regular starter.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace fans react to Hodgson’s injury update.