Stoke 1 Crystal Palace 0: Joe Allen strike heaps further misery on under pressure Eagles boss Sam Allardyce

JOE ALLEN'S sixth goal of the season was enough to condemn Sam Allardyce's struggling Crystal Palace to yet another defeat.

The Eagles boss was desperate for his side to bounce back following the 4-0 humiliation against Sunderland last weekend.

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And although their performance was an improvement, Allen's sweet second half strike left Palace rooted in the bottom three.

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With 25 minutes left on the clock, Marko Arnautovic picked out the run of Egyptian international Ramadan Sobhi who held the ball up brilliantly before laying off to Allen.

The Welshman hit the ball first time into the bottom corner leaving keeper Wayne Hennessey with no chance.

It was a goal out of nowhere and it almost sparked the visitors into life as James Tomkins' volleyed effort flew harmlessly over the bar just moments later.

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It was a game of little chances but Palace had Andros Townsend to thank in the first half when he superbly cleared Bruno Martins Indi's first-half header off the line.

The winger then had the chance to bring his side level in the latter stages of the game but his free-kick from 25-yards flew pathetically wide.

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Christian Benteke was anoynomous up front as Palace managed just the one shot on target and now their next clash against fellow strugglers Middlesbrough remains a crucial six-pointer.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

• Big Sam must have felt like dropping his entire team after last week’s disaster against Sunderland but restricted himself to a modest two changes.
• Luka Milivovojevic was finally able to make his Palace debut after obtaining a work visa and he was joined by Andros Townsend with Yohan Cabaye and Scott Dan making way.
• Palace must have hoped the Serbian midfielder would bring some much needed luck. He hasn’t lost a football match since September 29 – having put together an unbeaten run of 19 matches with former club Olympiacos.

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• Stoke couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to break their Palace bogey. The Potters had lost five of their last six Premier League matches against Palace, drawing one but losing their last four to the Londoners.
• Palace fans are clinging to small triumphs just now. “How sh** must you be, we beat you 4-1,” they sang to Stoke supporters.
• Evidently they have the memories of elephants considering that high point in their season was way back in September, some six months ago!

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• This wasn’t one for the purist as they say. Once Wayne Hennessey beat out Arnautovic’s fierce shot inside the first 10 minutes there were long periods with little goalmouth action.
• James McArthur headed narrowly wide but generally this was a war of attrition with Phil Bardsley and Wilfried Zaha in particular going at it hammer and tongs.
• Andros Townsend did brilliantly to hook Bruno Martins Indi’s net-bound header off the line following a Charlie Adam corner just before half-time.
• That took the Welshman’s Premier tally for the season to six – his best ever total for a campaign – and two more than his previous best four goals in 2011-12.

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BIG PICTURE

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WHAT THEY SAID

Stoke boss Mark Hughes: "We'll be last on Match of the Day again won't we?

"It was a war of attrition at times, Palace came here and made life difficult for us. We had to be vigilant but we were always waiting for that breakthrough. We had four good opportunities before we scored.

"Joe Allen times his runs well, he has an aptitude for it and it was a great finish.

"We are not in bad shape overall, we are doing OK but now we have to navigate our way through some very difficult games."

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Palace boss Sam Allardyce: "I'm disappointed for the lads. They had many moments in the game when we were in control and none more so than when Stoke scored.

"They scored their only shot on target in the second half. It's a 1-0 defeat again and not the point that we deserve at least.

"We have to keep battling on and believing. These are an honest bunch of players. Last week was a fluke, we conceded three goals in three minutes."

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Stoke: Grant, Bardsley (Johnson 58, ), Martins Indi, Shawcross, Pieters, Whelan, Adam (Afellay 79, ) Allen, Arnautovic, Sobhi (Diouf 82, ) Crouch

Subs not used: Given, Muniesa, Imbula, Berahino

Booked: Shawcross

Goals: Allen 67

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Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Tomkins, Delaney, van Aanholt, Milivojevic, McArthur (Remy 87, ) Townsend, Puncheon (Cabaye 77, ) Zaha (Schlupp 68, ) Benteke

Subs not used: Speroni, Sakho, Flamini, Campbell

Booked: Delaney, Puncheon, Zaha

STAR MAN: BRUNO MARTINS INDI