Crystal Palace 0 Sheffield United 1: Blades go fifth in Premier League as Guaita’s own goal piles pressure on Hodgson
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ROY HODGSON suffered another day of utter frustration as goal-shy Crystal Palace were undone by Vicente Guaita’s second-half howler.
The Spanish keeper dropped Oliver Norwood’s 57th minute corner over his goal-line to hand victory on a plate to away-day specialists Sheffield United.
Hodgson could barely believe his luck as the usually reliable Guaita was found wanting before the visitors had even managed a single shot on target.
And to add insult to Palace injury, Hodgson was convinced United should have been down to ten men long before Norwood’s inswinger crept in at the near post.
Blades wing-back George Baldock had already been booked for an earlier pull on Wilfried Zaha when he clattered the Palace talisman with a badly mistimed challenge.
It was a far worse foul than the one which had earned Baldock his yellow card yet ref Andy Madley ruled it warranted nothing more than a free-kick in spite of fierce Palace protests.
In fact it was Palace full-back Joel Ward who eventually saw red for a 71st minute lunge on Enda Stevens before Madley overturned his decision after studying the challenge on the pitch-side screen.
Fortunately for Ward, TV replays showed that his initial challenge did not make contact with Stevens’ shin before he took his opponent out with his follow-through.
Yet that was little consolation for Hodgson as his team failed to secure their first win of 2020 to leave him looking anxiously over his shoulder.
For Palace, who have scored just one first-half goal at Selhurst Park all season, are now only six points above the drop zone and suddenly in danger of being dragged into the relegation battle.
No wonder Hodgson looked so crestfallen after planned deadline days deals for striker Jarrod Bowen and full-back Nathan Ferguson were both scuppered right at the death.
And with loan signing Cenk Tosun ruled out by a hamstring injury, that left Palace praying that Christian Benteke could somehow end his nine-month goal drought.
But the Eagles’ £27million record signing was again completely out of sorts in the area as he failed to improve on his record of two goals in two years before being subbed off by exasperated Hodgson.
Yet if the Palace manager is starting to get that sinking feeling, life could hardly get much better for Blades boss Chris Wilder.
His team are suddenly up to ?? place in the Premier League table and nurturing unlikely dreams of European qualification.
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They have lost only twice on their travels all season and only Champions-elect Liverpool have conceded fewer goals.
They rode their luck at times as Palace dominated possession and flashed a series of crosses across the face of Dean Henderson’s goal without seriously troubling the United keeper.
But they came on strong after Guiata’s unexpected gift and both Stevens and John Fleck spurned decent opportunities to increase Hodgson’s exasperation.