1-0 Crystal Palace wins are becoming something of a trend in the Premier League.
On Saturday, the Eagles beat Watford by a solitary goal for their third win in a row by the same scoreline. Once again, the goalscorer was Jordan Ayew, just like he was against Brighton – he now has eight strikes for the campaign in the top flight.
This was a tight affair against the Hornets. Both sides had the same amount of shots and were also level in terms of efforts on target, whilst Nigel Pearson’s men had 56% possession to 44%.
However, they were unable to make enough use of the time they had on the ball, which was in part down to the performance of James McCarthy.
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The 40-time Republic of Ireland international had been forced off against the Seagulls in that last match, and his display here showed exactly why his presence in midfield is so important to Roy Hodgson’s team.
The 29-year-old was a force to be reckoned with, winning nine of his 10 ground duels and completing a huge eight tackles. He also managed two interceptions and, surprisingly for a player better known for his defensive qualities, he contributed two key passes as well.
In 2020, McCarthy has really picked up his form. He won a combined 14 tackles against both Manchester City and Arsenal as Palace picked up two surprise points, whilst he has averaged a WhoScored rating of over seven in each of the last three victories. His fight and desire now appears to be getting him his just rewards.
The next few games promise to be tricky for Hodgson’s men. In their next five games, they will face three of the top four in Liverpool, Leicester City and Chelsea. With 39 points, Palace’s survival in the top flight is all but secured, but they will still be looking to end the season on the high to set themselves up for the next campaign.
Some good results against any of those aforementioned sides could do just that, and McCarthy’s battling figure will be vital to any hopes of victory.
Elsewhere, Palace fans laud this man against Watford.