Crystal Palace 2-0 Sheffield United: Eberechi Eze scores brilliant solo goal in Palace win

Crystal Palace substitute Eberechi Eze punished bottom line Sheffield United with a magnificent solo goal and the Blades set another unwanted record.

That paved the way for Eze to come in and the former QPR forward doubled the lead before the break, starting his career from inside his own half and finishing from 18 yards after evading a couple of challenges.

Sheffield United offered little going forward and, failing to beat Palace in their 17th game of the season, Chris Wilder’s team set the record for the longest winless start in a Premier League campaign.

The Blades finished the game with 16-year-old substitute Antwoine Hackford on the field, the youngest player to appear for the club in the Premier League.

Eze warms up to the Premier League

After five games without a win, this was a return to the winning track for Roy Hodgson’s Palace with the climax, no doubt, Eze’s exceptional goal.

The 22-year-old forward has adapted quickly since making the jump from championship club QPR on a five-year deal. for £ 19.5 million in August.

Eze’s first goal at the Palace was a sublime free kick against Leeds in November. His second was just as pleasing to the eye.

Blades boss Wilder was furious that his players didn’t shut down the former Arsenal youth player, but Eze’s calm and collected finish, after running half the length of the field, was delightful.

It capped off a strong performance by the team as Palace put the memory of recent heavy defeats to Liverpool and Aston Villa behind with a first clean sheet victory since the first weekend of the season.

With the January transfer window about to open, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan are the latest clubs to link up with Wilfried Zaha and the Ivory Coast striker played a role in his team’s first goal.

It also created a good opportunity for Christian Benteke, who later got injured, before getting involved in an unnecessary feud with Jayden Bogle after failing to win a free throw.

But Palace’s season, after a couple of setbacks, is on again as they prepare for three straight games against Wolves, in the FA Cup, followed by Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League.

Blades sink fast

Wilder was clearly upset with his players for not stopping Eze as he galloped to score late in the first half.

Having recorded several positive cases of coronavirus during the latest round of testing, they were also left without several players due to injuries and suspension.

They were so exhausted that they could only name six substitutes instead of the usual nine, while Bogle received his first Premier League start since arriving from Derby in September 2020.

Shortly before Palace’s second goal, Vicente Guaita denied Bogle with a good save, but the Blades offered little serious threat in attack and only managed two attempts on goal.

With Tottenham (home), Manchester United (away) and Manchester City (away) in January, the outlook is getting bleaker every week in terms of staying awake.

Wilder’s team has accumulated just two points all season and is 11 from safety, but there was some positive news for the Blades boss.

Hackford, 16 years and 288 days old, looked brilliant when he entered and was denied a goal in the 90th minute when Joel Ward blocked his effort.

Sweet Sixteen – The Stats

• Antwoine Hackford is the 20th 16-year-old to play in the Premier League.
• Sheffield United are the first top-flight English team to fail to win any of their first 17 games in a season since Bolton Wanderers in 1902-03.
• Eberechi Eze is the fourth Crystal Palace player to score his first two Premier League goals for the club from outside the penalty area and the first since Ricky Newman in 1994 (also Gareth Southgate and Simon Rodger).
• The Blades have gone 20 Premier League games without a clean sheet, the longest current streak in the division.
• Palace has scored 12 goals in the first half of the Premier League this season, two more than he scored before the break in the entire 2019-20 season.

Whats Next?

Both teams are in FA Cup third round action below. Crystal Palace will play Wolves next Friday (19:45 GMT), before Sheffield United look to avoid a surprise at League One Bristol Rovers on Saturday (15:00).