Bournemouth 2-2 Crystal Palace: Eagles Held For Draw At The Vitality
Crystal Palace were held to a 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium by a stubborn Bournemouth side. Yet again, the Eagles came close to sealing a win but they failed to deliver at the penultimate moment. Bournemouth will be happy with merely a point but this draw will affect Palace’s chances of surviving in the Premier League beyond the end of the season.
Post this match, the Eagles have dropped down to the 17th spot in the league table and are staring at the prospect of relegation. However, here is how each player fared against the Cherries.
Crystal Palace Player Ratings
Wayne Hennessey – 6/10
Hennessey was decent between the sticks and made a couple of good saves to deny efforts from the likes of Marc Pugh and Lewis Cook.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 7.5/10
Wan-Bisakka put in a solid display and made some important tackles and blocks to keep trouble from Jermain Defoe at bay.
James Tomkins – 7/10
A reassuring performance from Tomkins provided some much-needed defensive stability at the back for Palace.
Mamadou Sakho – 6/10
Made an error-strewn slow start but as the game wore on, Sakho improved gradually. However, he could have done a lot better at the back in certain situations.
Patrick van Aanholt – 7.5/10
Van Aanholt got forward pretty well and attacked with full gusto. He had a splendid chance to score as well but was denied by Asmir Begovic.
Luka Milivojevic – 9/10
Palace’s best player by a mile, Milivojevic played the role of a midfield anchor superbly and even scored a sumptuous goal for Palace. He had no trouble dominating his Bournemouth counterparts and he is easily one of Palace’s most important players right now.
Yohan Cabaye – 6/10
Cabaye essayed his role well and fulfilled his basic duties but he failed to make a lasting impact of any sort.
James McArthur – 7/10
Looked threatening on certain occasions and kept himself busy throughout the game.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 5/10
Could not do much in this game and was rather lacklustre in and around the box. We have seen him do better and he was a tad bit disappointing.
Andros Townsend – 5.5/10
Played higher up than usual due to the absence of Christian Benteke but failed to produce effective results. He lacked creativity as well and that seriously hindered the club’s chances in the final third.
Wilfried Zaha – 7/10
Scored an important goal and made some important contributions to aid the attack. Had he not scored the goal, his performance would have been highly disappointing.