Crystal Palace came through March unbeaten, winning three of their four games and earning a point against Premier League leaders Manchester City at Selhurst Park. They now face a busy April packed with six games that will define how Patrick Vieira’s first season in south London is remembered.
Although there is little chance that the Eagles will disturb the European qualification places in the league table, they still harbour ambitions of breaking into the top ten. Doing so this year would signal to Steve Parish and co that they made the right choice in appointing Vieira last summer to oversee the next step of the club’s long-term vision. They also remain in the FA Cup and face a London derby at Wembley when they take on Chelsea next month. If they progress to the final they’ll come up against either Manchester City or Liverpool.
So with five league games and a semi-final to pack into April, which players will Vieira need to step up and help get Palace into a position where they could realise their ambitions in the Premier League as well as eye up some long-awaited silverware.
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Eberechi Eze
Having started the season on the sidelines courtesy of his Achilles injury suffered during training last May, Eze’s return to match action has been slow and steady, with Vieria asserting every step of the way that the midfielder would not be rushed back at risk of further injury. That has limited him to just six Premier League appearances this season, with five of those coming off the bench as a substitute.
It’s in the FA Cup where Eze has had most of his minutes though, starting in the wins over Millwall, Hartlepool United and Everton. In the latter he put in his best showing of the campaign so far, playing a vital role in Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal in the first and celebrating the moment joyfully on his own in the centre of the pitch afterwards.
“That was his opportunity and I think he did really well,” said Vieira after the match. “He played with a lot of personality. What I was really pleased about his performance is the work that he did out of possession, because we all know what he can do with the ball. So that part of the game he needed to improve, and I think he did it really well. And now that has to be consistent. And the best way to be consistent is to play games.”
If Vieira is true to his word and keeps Eze in the team for Palace’s busy April schedule then could turn out to be a difference-maker for them, having missed out on his obvious quality for large portions of the campaign so far. He could particularly be useful in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea with teammate Conor Gallagher unable to play against his parent club due to FA rules.
James McArthur
Another player who has been missed when out injured is midfield general McArthur. After starting the season so well he suffered a hamstring injury that left him out for 11 league matches, only to then suffer another setback not long after his return in February. His partnership with Conor Gallagher during the early stages of the campaign was celebrated for its dynamism and without the Scotsman, there is not often the same leadership or experience in the middle of the pitch.
We are yet to get a fresh update from Vieira on when McArthur will be due back, but with 11 days until Palace’s next fixture there is time for him to hopefully make a recovery. Having made over 300 Premier League appearances in his career his experience will make him valuable for the final nine games, while as an FA Cup winner with Wigan and three-time successful semi-finalist in the competition he’ll be vital for the trip to Wembley too
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Joachim Andersen
Although both he and Marc Guehi are invaluable to Palace at centre-back for their comfort in Vieira’s system, Andersen perhaps edges it in terms of importance for the Eagles’ next six games. His physicality and passing ability make him a hugely important asset to the team and when he missed games through injury earlier in the season his loss was badly felt.
The Dane has recovered from some disappointing mistakes in games against Arsenal and Leicester to be one of the most consistent performers in the second half of the campaign, contributing massively to the clean sheets kept against Brentford, Wolves, Manchester City and Everton. In the latter, when the Toffees were putting Palace under all kinds of pressure for the opening 15 minutes, Andersen’s ability to hit long passes and find Jean-Philippe Mateta was key in them breaking out and eventually dominating the match.
Wilfried Zaha
Zaha has often spoken about his desire to win trophies, and next month he’ll have a huge chance to help Crystal Palace go one step further to lifting the FA Cup. The team around him is one of the most exciting that has been assembled at the club in recent memory and as Vieira recently said the winger is now entering his peak years and performing at his very best.
His goal against Everton in the quarter-final took him to ten goals for the season - the third time he has hit double digits in the last four seasons. He looks certain to surpass his career-best tally of 11 set last year under Roy Hodgson, and if he can finish the season with a late flurry it could go down as his greatest campaign in a Crystal Palace shirt.
