In this edition of Classic Palace Clash, we look back at a 5-1 thumping of Newcastle United, where Alan Pardew secured his first victory against his former club, a place where he became a deeply unpopular figure among supporters due to his perceived relationship with owner Mike Ashley.
Palace had started the 2015/16 season in fine form and actually reached the New Year fifth in the Premier League before the Eagles’ fortunes dramatically declined. They eventually finished ten places lower, a downturn that may have been influenced by an FA Cup run that took them all the way to the final at Wembley.
This fixture arguably showcased Palace at their most devastating, with Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie tearing down the flanks and causing havoc with every attack. The Eagles were at their raw, free-flowing best and Steve McClaren’s Toon Army simply had no answer to the onslaught.
Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey, Ward, Delaney, Dann, Souare, McArthur, Puncheon, Cabaye, Bolasie, Zaha, Wickham
Newcastle United XI: Elliot, Janmaat, Mbemba, Coloccini, Dummett, Anita, Colback, Wijnaldum, Sissoko, Perez, Cisse
Crystal Palace Subs: Speroni, Kelly, Ledley, Jedinak, Lee, Chamakh, Bamford
Newcastle United Subs: Darlow, Lascelles, Sterry, Gouffran, Thauvin, De Jong, Mitrovic
At the time, this 5-1 victory over Newcastle stood as Palace’s biggest-ever Premier League win and remained so until the 5-0 demolition of Leicester City in 2018. The fixture carried added significance as it marked Alan Pardew’s second and Yohan Cabaye’s first meeting with their former club.
Pardew had left Newcastle under a cloud before being replaced by John Carver, while Cabaye had already elevated himself to hero status among Palace supporters following his high-profile arrival from Paris Saint-Germain. Many fans even dubbed him the modern-day Attilio Lombardo, given the excitement surrounding his arrival and the quality he brought to South London.
The visitors arrived at Selhurst Park in indifferent form under Steve McClaren, whose position was already coming under scrutiny. Following this defeat, he would soon be replaced by Rafa Benitez who, despite his best efforts, was unable to prevent relegation to the Championship.
Palace, meanwhile, had enjoyed a positive start to the campaign and sat comfortably in the top half despite suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Newcastle’s North East rivals Sunderland the previous week, courtesy of another trademark strike from Jermain Defoe.
With rain pouring down at Selhurst Park, it was actually the away side who made the brighter start. Papiss Cisse gave Newcastle a shock lead after just 10 minutes, glancing home a free header from close range to score against Palace for a third consecutive season. Questions inevitably arose. Would this be another frustrating afternoon against a side Palace had failed to beat since returning to the Premier League in 2013? The answer was an emphatic no.
It did not take long for Palace to respond. The relentless James McArthur latched onto a slick move inside the visitors’ penalty area after Yannick Bolasie cut the ball back from the byline. The midfielder took a touch before drilling an effort goalwards, with the ball taking a deflection off a retreating Newcastle defender and leaving Rob Elliot wrong-footed.
Just three minutes later Palace completed the turnaround. Bolasie tormented full-back Daryl Janmaat before firing a finish beyond Elliot from what appeared to be an impossible angle. It was another goal from the Congolese winger, who was undoubtedly enjoying the most productive Premier League season of his career.
His performances would earn him a move to Everton the following summer, although injuries ultimately prevented him from replicating the form he showed during the 2015/16 campaign. This afternoon was arguably one of the finest demonstrations of his talent in a Palace shirt, perhaps only rivalled by his hat-trick in the 4-1 victory at Sunderland the previous season.
With Connor Wickham fit and leading the line, Palace continued to pose a threat throughout the first half and should arguably have been further ahead before the break. All of the Eagles’ attacking players were causing problems and eventually they were rewarded moments before half time.
Following a scramble inside the Newcastle penalty area, the ball broke to Wilfried Zaha on the edge of the box. What followed was one of the most unusual goals of his Palace career. The Ivorian struck the bouncing ball down into the turf and, for a moment, it looked destined to soar harmlessly over the crossbar. Instead, the effort dipped dramatically at the last second, dropping just beneath the bar and beyond the despairing Elliot to make it 3-1. It was unconventional, perhaps fortunate, but no less than Palace deserved for their first-half dominance.
The second half continued in much the same fashion as Palace went in search of even more goals. Newcastle’s defensive shortcomings were being ruthlessly exposed, although perhaps that did not tell the full story. Palace were simply playing outstanding football.
Up to that point in the Premier League era, Palace arguably had never possessed a more potent attacking unit. Goals and assists flowed from every area of the pitch, with not only Zaha and Bolasie contributing, but also players such as Cabaye, Puncheon and McArthur.
The move for Palace’s fourth goal began with Joel Ward, whose cross found its way to the back post. Waiting there was Bolasie, who produced another moment of brilliance by clinically dispatching the ball beyond Elliot to complete his brace.
Both Puncheon and Ward tested the Newcastle goalkeeper from distance, but further defensive errors eventually paved the way for Palace’s fifth. Chancel Mbemba and Fabricio Coloccini had endured difficult afternoons, and it was the former whose mistake in stoppage time allowed McArthur to take possession inside the penalty area. The Scottish midfielder shifted the ball effortlessly onto his left foot before squeezing his finish through Elliot’s legs in front of the Holmesdale End.
The rout was complete.
McArthur wheeled away in celebration as Palace supporters revelled in one of the club’s finest Premier League performances. Prior to the goal, Pardew had already made changes, withdrawing Wickham, Cabaye and Zaha in favour of Mile Jedinak, Chung-Yong Lee and Patrick Bamford. Perhaps the Palace manager already had one eye on the upcoming trip to Goodison Park, where the Eagles would earn a 1-1 draw courtesy of a Scott Dann goal during a period when visits to Everton often resulted in positive outcomes.
The victory lifted Palace into sixth place while Newcastle slipped into the relegation zone, much to the satisfaction of Pardew, who had gained a measure of revenge against his former employers.
As previously mentioned, everything appeared to be falling into place for the Eagles. A 2-1 victory at Stoke City thanks to a late winner from Lee left Palace sitting fifth at Christmas. However, the fairytale would not last. League form deteriorated during the second half of the campaign, with the demands of an FA Cup run eventually taking their toll.
One result that encapsulated this decline came in the reverse fixture at St James’ Park in April 2016. Cabaye missed a penalty against his former side before a certain Andros Townsend curled home a magnificent free-kick to hand Newcastle a crucial 1-0 victory.
Fast forward to the present day and Pierre Sage is in desperate need of a league win to boost morale. However, with Palace unbeaten in their last five home league games against Newcastle, another victory, 11 years on from this Selhurst Park masterclass, is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility.
