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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

Watford 1-4 Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha double helps Eagles to first Premier League win of 2022

Wilfried Zaha scored a late double as Crystal Palace got back to winning ways with a 4-1 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road.

Jean-Philippe Mateta had Palace in front, but the lead was short-lived when Moussa Sissoko scored his first Watford goal.

Tyrick Mitchell’s cross from the left on 42 minutes was brilliantly taken down by Conor Gallagher, who worked the ball into space and blasted his shot past goalkeeper Ben Foster.

Zaha added two more late on, the second also an eye-catching effort, as Palace secured only their second away Premier League win of the season and their first win in the league of 2022.

Watford, who travel to Manchester United on Saturday, remain in the relegation zone, four points from safety. Palace’s win over their former manager Roy Hodgson takes them up to 11th and eases fears after a worrying run.

The visitors hit the front on 15 minutes when Gallagher’s s low cross fell to Mateta, whose shot on the turn deflected in off defender Kiko Femenia.

The lead lasted only two-and-a-half minutes, though, as Sissoko outjumped two Palace defenders to head in Femenia’s corner.

Gallagher gave his side the halftime lead with his fine strike, before Zaha wrapped up the points with a late double.

His first was a relatively simple finish, but the second was out of the top drawer as he cut inside from the left wing and crashed a shot into the far corner.

For Palace it was a first away win since a shock victory at Manchester City in October, while Watford failed to build on their 1-0 success as Aston Villa on Saturday.

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