- Crystal Palace drew 2-2 vs Brentford
- Adam Wharton scored first Palace goal
- Several Eagles stars performed well
On Sunday Crystal Palace travelled across London to face a Brentford side hot in pursuit of European football. Despite leading twice in the game, the Eagles had to settle for a draw after a late Dango Outtara equaliser.
An enthralling encounter saw Palace take the lead just five minutes in through an Ismaila Sarr penalty. Dango Outtara then equalised through an extremely fortunate deflection after Palace failed to capitalise on waves of pressure.
In the second half, it was Palace who continued to press for a third goal of the game, and found it through an unlikely scorer, Adam Wharton netting his first goal for the club. More Palace chances were missed, including a blatant shirt pull on Brennan Johnson inside the Brentford area which was waved away by the VAR.
Outtara then netted his second of the game in the dying minutes as a Brentford long-throw routine undone the Palace defence. A 2-2 draw in a game that meant little to Palace, and a whole lot more to Brentford, certainly not the worst of results.
Player Ratings
Dean Henderson – 6
A very quiet game from Palace’s goalkeeper, making just one save as Brentford mustered up just the one big chance across the 100 minutes of play. He made a really good save before the host’s second equaliser, palming yet another Outtara effort round the post.
There also wasn’t much he could do about either of Brentford’s goals, so from his position a relatively comfortable performance.
Jaydee Canvot – 7
He was unfortunate with the first Brentford goal for me. He may need to be more aggressive with his header but it is just a very fortunate goal. He was once again a huge part of Palace’s ball progression, and was also busy defensively, making 12 contributions and five progressive carries.
Not his best performance but once again strong.
Maxence Lacroix – 6.5
A quieter afternoon for Lacroix, who was injured and withdrawn on the hour mark. He recycled play well, keeping Brentford under pressure. Their style of play saw both Riad and Canvot either side of Lacroix be put under more pressure, but nonetheless Lacroix did well when called upon.
Chadi Riad – 6
A really disappointing end to what I thought was a really strong performance for Riad, which feels to have been the case a few times. He comes in, plays well and aggressively but seems to trigger his recent injury issues and force himself off.
One v one he is very strong and there’s clearly a good player in there, but he just needs to maintain fitness and get a consistent run in the team to prove himself.
Daniel Munoz – 6
Came close to doubling Palace’s lead when he found himself one on one with Kelleher but his strike was well saved. Assisted Wharton’s goal with a good pass and was solid going forward as he usually is, but he was caught out for the late Brentford equaliser when he was outjumped at the backpost.
Tyrick Mitchell – 7.5
There isn’t much more I can say about Tyrick Mitchell this season. He’s been phenomenal, and is probably unlucky that Ismaila Sarr has had such a productive campaign, or he’d be a shoo-in for Player of the Season.
We’ve rarely had players as consistent as Mitchell has been this season, and it’s a brilliant feeling to know for a fact that you’ll get a 7/10 performance as a minimum from him each week.
Daichi Kamada – 7
After watching a double pivot of Lerma and Hughes, it was refreshing to see Kamada back in the action alongside Wharton. Kamada’s role in Palace’s forward play is so crucial, but I feel it goes unnoticed at times.
Progressive carries and all-action midfield play see him play key part at both ends of the pitch. Another strong display for the Japanese international who will play at the World Cup this Summer.
Adam Wharton – 8.5 (MOTM)
Controlled the tempo and dictated play expertly. Four key passes, 15 carries and four shots, it was an all action Adam Wharton performance, which was topped off by a superb strike to open his account for the Eagles.
Whilst his long-range effort was relatively central, the power behind the strike made it impossible for Kelleher to prevent, and Wharton celebrated in style. A Superb performance from a man who simply has to be on the plane to the World Cup this Summer.
Ismaila Sarr – 7
Won and scored the penalty excellently, Sarr became Palace’s joint highest ever scorer in a single season, on 21 goals. He then saw a strike rebound off the crossbar, as Palace continued to miss chances. If it wasn’t for those efforts that missed the mark, Sarr may well be my player of the match, but he can’t win it every week and therefore I feel a seven is a fair reflection of his performance.
Yeremy Pino – 7
Started the game brightly, and was key in the build-up to the penalty decision, driving through the midfield before playing a perfectly weighted ball to Sarr. His general impact on Palace’s forward play has certainly improved, and it is evident he is becoming more comfortable with the speed and intensity of the Premier League.
His defensive work has also improved, and it feels as if we are starting to see signs of the player we were all so excited to sign. Withdrawn at halftime in what felt like a pre-planned change, it was another good outing for the Spaniard.
Jorgen Strand Larsen – 6
Held the ball up well and had a few attempts of his own that came close to finding the net. His curling shot which hit the post at 1-0 up was his best chance, but in the spirit of Palace’s season he failed to find the net.
It does feel as if we are more condensed as a side with JSL in the side, and when Mateta comes on we seem to open up a tad and become more dynamic. That isn’t particularly a fault of the Norwegian’s though, and his overall performances are certainly improving week on week.
Substitutes
Brennan Johnson – 6
I think Johnson’s impact is getting more and more important as each game passes. Yes, it would have been ideal if he had hit the ground running but it feels as if it’s going to take patience. He looked bright again yesterday and is certainly playing with more positivity.
Most importantly, he is at least working hard, clearly fighting for the team and that is the bare minimum we can expect.
Chris Richards – 6.5
Played through an injury which will either be commendable or a mistake, and put in a relatively solid display. Nothing too impressive though, and he was beaten for pace a fair few times too.
Jean-Phillipe Mateta – 6
Only touched the ball seven times and his highlight of the game was celebrating Wharton’s goal whilst he was warming up. He did well to win his aerial duels though, flicking the ball on consistently from long defensive clearances.
Jefferson Lerma – 5
Played 25 minutes at centre back when Riad was replaced. A strong enough display, but was at fault for the Brentford equaliser late on when he just didn’t jump to challenge for the header.
Evan Guessand – N/A
Only played five minutes but wanted to mention him because it was great to see him back on the pitch.
