The emphatic win over the Magpies last weekend was the perfect reply to the poor Sunderland showing, as we picked apart a very average looking Newcastle United side at Selhurst Park.
If the Sunderland display was legarthic and dreary, the Newcastle performance was anything but. Even though we went a goal down early on, we went for the visitors and our attacking verve was well and truly back.
There were so many pleasing aspects from the performance. Both Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha were constant menaces down the flanks, and also chipped in with three goals between them. The Palace fans also saw what Connor Wickham could potentially bring to the table if he stays fit and healthy.
I want to talk about Wickham, as he certainly put a shift in last week, and was voted man of the match. Let us be honest, that award could have gone to any number of players such was the class of our performance.
After a lengthy spell out with injury the former Sunderland man showed that he could certainly lead the line for us, if he can add just one vital ingredient – goals.
He contributed three assists on Saturday and he bossed Fabio Coloccini around all afternoon. His hold up play is something we have lacked in recent weeks.
Up in the North-East he did not have the best of times, as he was played out of position a lot of the time. Now he is in a place where he will definitely be played as a centre-forward, the goals will hopefully return as we look to march on towards the top six.
Midfield machine James McArthur continues to play out of his skin, and against Newcastle it was another indication of just how important he is to the side. If he got an injury we would perhaps miss him more than Yohan Cabaye as the Scottish international is becoming totally influential in our midfield.
He was everywhere against Newcastle, scored two goals, albeit the first was a deflected effort off the unfortunate Paul Dummett.
He gives everything and that is all you can ask from a player, and I think we have said this before on TEB, is that he is an all-rounder, he can do the basics well and he is not particularly outstanding in one area of his game. It was the best £7million Neil Warnock ever spent at Crystal Palace.
If you read into the transfer rumours, you will see that this week he was linked to Arsenal. Yes, Arsenal of all clubs. Given their injury worries at the moment, it would be a safe bet, but come on, McArthur swapping South London for North London would be a waste of time because in a couple of years we will be taking their place in the top four!
On a serious note, we return to a Gary Neville-less Monday Night football and hoping for a much better outcome than the last time we featured.
We travel to Goodison Park, a place where in the past we have performed well. With Tony Pulis in charge we won there, and with Warnock in charge we won there too. Pardew’s turn perhaps?
So we like playing Everton, but they a different kettle of fish at the moment and certainly a club I enjoy watching as they have some fabulously talented footballers. Ross Barkley, Romelu Lakaku, Gerard Deulofeu are just some of a handful of players we will have to watch out for.
We have weapons of our own however, but with Zaha out through suspension we might see a tweak in formation. Whatever the team, I am looking forward to watching Palace, and hopefully we can put in a performance again and get the three points.
