Van Aanholt thunderbolt against Newcastle gives Palace first win in 2020

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:16 am

Crystal Palace broke a three-match losing streak in the Premier League as full back Patrick van Aanholt scored from a free kick to give Roy Hodgson's side a 1-0 home win over Newcastle United on Saturday.

It was also Palace's first win of the year and their first since a 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Boxing Day, ending a run of eight games without a win in all competitions.

Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka denied Palace twice in the early stages from corners, flinging himself to his right to claw out a Gary Cahill header before denying Scott Dann in a similar fashion.

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However, the Slovak goalkeeper found himself wrong-footed when Van Aanholt stepped up at the stroke of halftime and fired a free kick past his outstretched arm and into the net.

"I wouldn't have minded a few more goals, I think we would have deserved that," Hodgson told reporters. "It would have solved some of the anxiety going into the last 10 minutes when the opponent throws caution to the wind.

"I was pleased [for Van Aanholt], he has a good technical ability. He took the responsibility with Luka [Milivojevic] not playing through illness, he said I will take the free kicks and penalties. I like that confidence."

Newcastle were reduced to 10 men in stoppage time when Valentino Lazaro dragged back Wilfried Zaha to prevent the winger from going one-on-one with Dubravka and the Austrian walked off the pitch even before the card was produced.

"With 10 seconds to go, does the referee really have to send him off? Is a yellow not sufficient? But rules are rules and we will abide by it," manager Steve Bruce said.

"I don't think we deserved to win the game. We've played in games and looked a threat, but today we huffed and puffed. In the final third we didn't do a lot."

The result allowed Palace to leapfrog a toothless Newcastle, who had only two shots on target, and move up to 13th in the standings with 33 points -- two points ahead.