The 28-year-old added: “I’m just hoping and praying that we turn up on the day and do everything right”.
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Jose Manuel Jurado swung in a corner from the same flank that Palace had scored from and Deeney got ahead of Scott Dann to glance past a motionless Wayne Hennessey.
“But Crystal Palace have a great team and a great manager, and congratulations to them”.
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has called for his players to stand up and claim the glory in their FA Cup semi-final against Watford on Sunday.
Bolasie headed Palace into a sixth-minute lead with a goal that had echoes of Pardew’s semi-final victor in 1990 which earned their only other final appearance – also against United.
Though the two teams are different, Pardew said there were traits that the two shared, including pacey attackers.
“They play a British way, he’s stuck with it and not tried to alter it and that’s been their strength”. “He’s had some bad, awful press and I look forward to seeing him in the final”.
“In one second, Anthony Martial scores a goal and you win it in the last minute. It is not a bad season, this season is wonderful, but if the club want to talk to me in May then we will see”, he said.
The Palace forward, who nearly missed the semi-final after suffering a hamstring injury in the warm up, still feels he has more to give: “If you play a lot of games you’ll get your form back eventually”.
“The first goal changed everything, and Bolasie and Zaha have incredible powers and skills, so it is hard to play against”. “But he’s shown today, this guy’s got unbelievable ability”.
Meanwhile, Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores insisted he didn’t deserve to have his position scrutinised following a week of speculation that he might be sacked.
Here, football writer Declan Warrington lists five things we learned from a fixture that will do much to define both teams’ seasons.
The Palace manager has addressed his own contract talks this month and reasserted that he wants to stay, but would not commit until they secure Premier League status for next year.
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The former Wigan man is now keen to ensure Watford’s season does not end on a sour note after the deflation of the cup defeat, and thinks a top ten finish is a realistic aim.
