Palace make Wembley on a Mad stad evening 0 – 2

A penalty from Johan Cabaye and a late strike from Frazier Campbell meant Palace booked a trip to Wembley to Celebrate reaching the FA Cup semi final for the first time in 15 years in 1995.  stating it would be a challenge this time Pardew will lead his side out at Wembley for the first time in a cup competition since 1990/91, when Palace played both in the FA cup final and Zenith Data systems Cup.

Now Palace await an opponent from Mondays Draw, as a trip to Wembley may light up Palace’s league form with a 0 – 12 record which unless improved is relegation form. Emulating Wigan and winning the FA Cup but going down may eventually be seen as historically significant even if pragmatists may see relegation as financially disastrous and a failure.

Yet the game itself was comfortable for Palace with Cabaye controlling midfield and Papis Soure doing very well on the left hand side. Reading failed to grasp the nettle and Palace looked dominant for much of the match yet it was not until the last ten minutes that the breakthrough goals from Cabaye (Pen) and Campbell came out as Palace secured the victory.

Table toppers Leicester City come to Selhurst Park next Saturday hoping to carry their good form into the league and damage Leicester’s title ambitions.

Sunderland 2 – 2 Crystal Palace

Two goals from Conner Wickham for Palace and goals from NDoye and Borini meant events at the Stadium of Light ended 2 – 2. Two goals in six minutes from Conner Wickham put Palace 2 – 1 up before Borini’s equaliser.

The point lifts Sunderland out of the bottom three and means Palace pick up their first point in ten matches. It is with some relief that Sunderland lift themselves out of the bottom three. As for Palace their bad form continues winless since playing Stoke on the 19^th December dropping to 14^th place in that time.

Palace’s next match is against Liverpool while Sunderland face Southampton at St Mary’s Indeed Conner Wickham the ex- Sunderland player has found some form and this can be seen as a positive for Pardew going forward to the FA Cup quarter final against Reading. Pardew needs to drive this Palace team forward if they want to secure premier league status and the extra TV money that comes with it. 

Yet in reality football is a global product and relegation would be a nightmare given the fact that Palace’s history is littered with failures heroic and otherwise and means relegation would be a disastrous result. Yet alternatively should Palace secure six more points and survival, the FA Cup could make the season a memorable one.