Crystal Palace 2-0 Tottenham: Wickham marks return with goal in FA Cup shock

When Connor Wickham last scored for Crystal Palace, Alan Pardew was their manager, Barrack Obama was US President and everyone seemed confident Britain might exit the EU with half decent terms.

That was against Manchester City in November 2016, but after watching Pardew leave and three more managers take the Eagles hot-seat, his side survive three relegation battles and various team-mates come and go, Wickham finally got back on the scoresheet.

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AS IT HAPPENED: LIVE: Crystal Palace v Tottenham

His goal sent Palace on their way to a 2-0 FA Cup shock win over a depleted Tottenham side at Selhurst Park and into the hat for the fifth round draw.

The biggest cheer pre-game was for Julian Speroni, the veteran keeper making his 405th and potentially last appearance for the Eagles. The home fans chanted his name too, which goes some way to showing how highly they regard him for his years of service, despite that error at Anfield just a week ago.

Both teams of course made multiple changes from their previous respective league games for this cup clash. Mauricio Pochettino continued with Fernando Llorente up front in Harry Kane’s absence although probably against his best wishes. Georges-Kevin Nkoudou was also included, with commentators and journalists at Selhurst Park groaning in unison as they were handed team-sheets.

The most high profile inclusion for the home side was Connor Wickham, making his first start for the Eagles in what seemed like 400 years since a horrible knee injury. And it only took him eight minutes to make a difference.

Jeffrey Schlupp powered into the box and squared for Wickham who poked in with that same knee that has caused him such pain over the past 792 days (I actually checked this time), crumpling to the floor in celebration (and not due to injury for once). A quick check of the VAR from referee Kevin Friend confirmed Wickham was onside and actually behind Schlupp as he played the ball.

Tottenham were shellshocked by the early goal and Selhurst was rocking but the away side did have a pop 15 minutes in as Lucas Moura sized one up from distance but blazed his shot over King Speroni’s bar. Down the other end Patrick van Aanholt fired one from about the same distance straight into Paulo Gazzaniga’s arms.

It took until 35 minutes in for any more action but when it came it was bizarre. Kyle Walter-Peters for some reason decided to handball Wilf Zaha’s cross in the box under zero pressure whatsoever. Clear penalty. In the absence of regular penalty taker Luka Milivojevic, Andros Townsend stepped up and dispatched with ease to double Palace’s lead.

He could and should have made it three a minute later when he arrived late in the box to meet PVA’s pull-back but fired straight at Gazzaniga. Had that gone it surely it would have been Tottenham out of two cups in four days.

Speroni, potentially playing his last ever game for the club, then made two huge saves at the end of the first half from N’koudou to keep Spurs out and Selhurst erupted into a chorus of his name as their hero made up for last week’s clanger.

But those cheers turned to groans a minute later as referee Friend awarded the away side a lifeline thanks to Van Aanholt’s stupid challenge on Juan Foyth in the box. But Kieran Trippier summed up Tottenham’s first half display by missing the target from 12 yards, and not even by a little bit.

The second half saw Tottenham mostly camped outside Palace’s box trying to force a way through but they were met with a resolute back four (well, three a Van Aanholt had one of his worst displays in a red and blue shirt. Thankfully for him, Joel Ward, Scott Dann and Martin Kelly were in fine form.

The final whistle was met with rapturous applause from home fans and more chants for Speroni as Spurs slumped off to try and deal with getting knocked out of two cups in one week.