Crystal Palace 1-1 Leicester City
Leicester City went second in the Premier League thanks to a late strike from winger Harvey Barnes after Wilfried Zaha had given Crystal Palace a lead.
It was Barnes’ second goal in two games, but Foxes’ boss Brendan Rodgers was disappointed to leave with just a point after his side had dominated for much of the match, though it was a welcome point for the Eagles following two heavy defeats over Christmas.
The latest Premier League 2020 betting odds have Leicester to finish around sixth place and Palace just below halfway, and on this evidence that looks about right, though if the Foxes can turn domination into results then they have a good shot at staying in the top four.
Highlights of the game
The Foxes came into the match on the back of an entertaining 2-2 draw with Manchester United, and they set about the Eagles defence with purpose. Ayoze Perez had a great chance when wing-back Luke Thomas pinged a cross in from the left but the striker’s header flew over the bar.
Leicester’s best chance of the first half came after more good work from Thomas.
The youngster burst into the Palace penalty area and had the better of James Tomkins, who’s been short of football this term, and it showed as the centre back tripped Thomas and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Brendan Rodgers had left Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans on the bench, and he may have quickly regretted that after Kelechi Iheanacho lined up the spot-kick, paused in his run-up and then gave Palace keeper Vicente Guaita an easy save to make.
The Foxes went close again, on 25 minutes, when their right wing-back James Justin got in on the act, feeding Perez who fired the ball across the area and it hit a Palace defender and flew up onto the crossbar.
Palace had a golden opportunity when Jeffrey Schlupp drove down the left before squaring for Andros Townsend who really should have scored but fired his effort just wide of the post. Then Iheanacho missed a close ranger header after meeting a right-wing cross from Dennis Praet.
Leicester had let the Eagles off the hook and were made to pay for it as Palace came out for the second half with more belief and ambition, and they earned their reward when Townsend raided down the right and swung over a cross which Zaha met on the volley and smashed it past Kasper Schmeichel at his near post.
What a way to celebrate his 200th Premier League start for Crystal Palace.
After a Boxing Day defeat to ten-man Aston Villa, this was just the response head coach Roy Hodgson had demanded from his Palace team and it gave the Foxes an uphill battle.
But they plugged away and levelled on 83 minutes when Barnes latched on to a throw-in and drilled a brilliant shot home from the edge of the box.
Key statistics
The Foxes had 68 per cent possession tonight and won the shot count by 17 to four and three to one on target but, after Zaha scored his eighth goal of the season, they were happy to take a point when Barnes bagged his eighth.
Crystal Palace haven’t won their final league game in any of the last nine calendar years, but this draw ended a run of two defeats against the Foxes.
The Eagles have kept just one clean sheet in 24 Premier League games, conceding in each of the last 15, and that’s a problem Hodgson will want to solve sooner rather than later.
What’s next?
The games are coming thick and fast in the Premier League, these two teams only played two days ago on Boxing Day, though tonight’s clash between Everton and Manchester City has sadly been called off due to COVID 19, and that means Leicester will stay second. There’s a full programme over the next couple of days, ending with leaders Liverpool heading east to meet Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Leicester play their next game, their first of 2021 on Sunday 3rd, away to the Magpies, while the Eagles host bottom club Sheffield United on Saturday and that’s a game they should win.
In the meantime enjoy the football and keep it right here at SBOTOP for all the very latest Premier League 2020 news, highlights and results.
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