James McArthur – the only FA Cup victor in the Palace squad after lifting the trophy with Wigan in 2013 – made his comeback from an ankle injury at Old Trafford but is unlikely to be risked.
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Pardew has proved something of a good luck charm for Palace in the FA Cup and he celebrated taking the club to only their second final in the competition 26 years after scoring the victor against Liverpool the last time the south Londoners won a semi-final.
Watford were unable to create a clear-cut opening in the first half, although retreating Palace full-back Joel Ward was dangerously close to prodding into his own net from an Allan Nyom centre.
LONDON (AP) – Twenty-six years on from its one and only appearance in the FA Cup final, Crystal Palace has another chance to win its first major trophy following a 2-1 defeat of Watford in the semifinals at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
Palace will face Manchester United on May 21. Their last meeting ended in a 4-3 in round four in 2009.
“My team were magnificent today, they really were”.
“I hope our destiny isn’t the same as 1990”, he is quoted by the Express.
“We can go one better than that team of 1990”.
“He has had some very bad press and I will be glad to see him at Wembley”. “I think Man United have a hard game in the final”.
After a woeful start to 2016, which saw them go almost four months without a league win, Palace have had a recent upturn in results that has all but secured their safety. We do not have reasons to talk about me.
Palace struck in the fifth minute to take the sting out of the Hornets when Bolasie rose highest to nod home Damien Delaney’s flick from Yohan Cabaye’s corner.
Jose Manuel Jurado’s delivery was certainly precise but Scott Dann, who had also conceded a free-kick in the build-up to the goal, just lost Deeney, whose deft header left Hennessey with little chance.
Wickham put Palace ahead in the 61st after he out-jumped Watford defender Nathan Ake to meet Papa Souare’s sweeping cross.
Pardew added: “I thought the team were very focused”.
Much of Palace’s attacking thrust lay at the feet of the team’s two wingers, Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha.
“I remember Sir Alex’s career hinged on that game and maybe Van Gaal’s career will hinge on this”, said Pardew, who played for Palace in the 1990 final, which United won after a replay.
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“We will have a different game plan against Manchester United, but that is not to say we can’t control the game”.
