Mile Jedinak is in line to be the first Australian to captain a side in the FA Cup final, after Crystal Palace secured a 2-1 victory over Watford at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
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Palace meet United at Wembley next month in a repeat of the 1990 final.
Similar to Palace’s opener, Jose Manuel Jurado fired in a corner which Deeney met ahead of centre-half Scott Dann before planting a firm header past Palace stopper Wayne Hennessey.
However, parity was maintained for less than six minutes as Wickham outmuscled Nathan Ake under a looping Pape Souare cross and steered his header into the corner.
Bolasie’s sixth goal of the season was an emotional moment for the forward, who hadn’t forgotten the frustration he felt in 2013 when he was an unused substitute during Palace’s Championship play-off final win over Watford at Wembley. The quartet missed Wednesday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Manchester United with minor injuries, but their collective availability means manager Alan Pardew has a near fully-fit squad from which to choose from.
What did you make of Crystal Palace’s display against Watford?
Some fans have also been critical of the team’s style of play and there was no shortage of negativity on social media following the team’s performance at Wembley. “I felt we had the chance to win but we still have a lot of reasons to be happy this season”.
“Pardew famously played in both the final and indeed replay against Manchester United back in 1990 and I expect his players to be primed for a bold show at the home of football on Sunday”.
Yannick Bolasie. Headed Crystal Palace’s opening goal and provided their most consistent attacking threat to stretch Watford’s defence and prevent them from building attacks of their own.
“We just have to keep our focus, or I do, in the short-term to make sure this team is ready for three important league games, get our points, get that done and enjoy the cup final”, he said.
Now, 26 years later, and manager Pardew will again face United in the FA Cup final.
“I have an unbelievable family, incredible kids, I am happy with my profession and I am completely happy with Watford fans”.
“We saw a couple of videos yesterday which put us in the mood to get through to a cup final”, the winger said.
If Hornets” boss Quique Sanchez Flores were somehow able to “restore factory settings’ and ignore the fact they’ve only won one of their last eight in the league, then he’d obviously jump at the chance to do so and the prices in excess of 2/1 for them to beat a similarly-stuttering side would represent outstanding value.
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“But now we’re in this position, we don’t want to just tail off and say that was an alright season”. Ian Wright scored twice – the second giving the Eagles the lead in extra-time – in the first match, as Mark Hughes struck twice for United, while Lee Martin’s goal was enough in the replay to give Sir Alex Ferguson the first of many trophies at Old Trafford.
