The powerful Bolasie and Wickham have both been absent for lengthy spells with injuries this season and they showed Palace fans what they had been missing.
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Crystal Palace’s victory over Watford on Sunday booked them a return trip to Wembley, where they will reconvene to face Manchester United on Saturday, 21 May.
It was an especially sweet moment for Palace boss Pardew, who was a member of the Eagles team beaten by Alex Ferguson’s United in 1990 when Lee Martin scored the replay victor after the first match ended in a 3-3 draw.
And Palace deployed the same tactic to create the opening goal in the sixth minute against Watford when Damien Delaney headed on Yohan Cabaye’s corner for Yannick Bolasie to nod home. “Some of my staff talk about it all the time”, Pardew said.
“We paid a bit of homage to that side with the flick-on for the corner”, added Pardew.
And although Bolasie joked his goal will look better than the manager’s, he put the credit down to Palace’s assistant manager Keith Millen.
A coin toss was made, due to the club’s kits clashing, and United lost, meaning they will wear white, in a repeat of the 1990 final between the two clubs.
“This is a different team, with a different spirit, but the characteristics are similar to 1990”.
“I’m pleased for the players”. They have an honesty about them, and that was out on the pitch today. “But on our day we can beat anyone”. They were always going to have a period and we saw that through. I think United will have a hard game in the final.
Asked if there was some destiny about the rematch, he said: “I hope the destiny isn’t the same result”.
Pardew is sympathetic to van Gaal’s situation, but that won’t stop him trying to make it worse for the Dutchman.
“United have the makings of a great team”.
“If you play a lot of games you’ll get your form back eventually”. We were really on top of our game.
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“Is it a success already to reach the final?” “I’m pleased for Louis [van Gaal] that he’s got there because he’s been given a tough time”. His goal threat has been lacking this season, but clearly the manager believed he had the potential to be decisive for Palace, and so it proved. I can just transmit to the Watford fans that I am completely focused and happy.
