Tottenham 0, Crystal Palace 1: Alan Pardew backs Wilfried Zaha for a place in England’s Euro 2016 squad after Eagles dump Spurs out of FA Cup
Tottenham Hotspur 0, Crystal Palace 1
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew tipped winger Wilfried Zaha for England’s Euro 2016 squad after they inflicted Tottenham’s first defeat in nine games in the FA Cup on Sunday.
Zaha teed up right-back Martin Kelly for the game’s only goal in first-half stoppage time as the Eagles set up a quarter-final against Championship outfit Reading, Pardew’s former club.
“Wilf must have a chance of going,” the Palace boss said. “He’s one of the best in the country at beating his man and opening a defence. His defensive work has come on so much.”
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, refused to blame a fixture pile-up for the end of his team’s treble hopes and quickly turned his attention to this week’s Europa League visit of Fiorentina.
“In one month we have ten games and that is very difficult for the team, but that is no excuse. We played much better today so we deserved more,” he said. “We were a little bit unlucky and we need to accept that. We need to be ready for Thursday, when we have another cup final.”
Spurs midfielder Dele Alli twice saw efforts cleared off the line before Kelly scored: first Yohan Cabaye stopped his diving header and then his scuffed shot hit both posts before being scrambled away.
Tottenham right-back Kyle Walker was indebted to Michel Vorm’s desperate save for preventing his header resulting in an own goal, but the goalkeeper was beaten when Kelly rifled high past him at the near post.