Crystal Palace completed yet another topsy-turvy campaign, finishing 12th in the league table this season. The Eagles were never in danger of being dragged into the relegation fight but they also failed to exceed expectations and finish in the top half of the table.
Here are three players who impressed most for the Eagles this campaign.
Wilfried Zaha
In what is expected to be Wilfried Zaha’s last season at the club, the ex-Manchester United winger once again shouldered much of the burden in attack. Zaha ended the campaign as Crystal Palace’s most productive player, having been involved in 15 goals in 34 matches. That is almost 30% of what Palace have managed as a whole this season.
Additionally, Zaha’s versatility in attack has been a big help for coach Roy Hodgson, who has struggled with lack of depth in the attacking department this season. He has mostly operated in a central attacking role but has also been deployed on the left-wing, at times in order to accommodate the likes of Christian Benteke and Michy Batshuayi.
However, Zaha’s likely departure from Selhurst Park will be a massive blow for Crystal Palace. And it will be interesting to see how the Eagles plan to replace the England international this summer.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been one of Premier League’s rising stars, having played a crucial role at right-back for Crystal Palace this season. The young defender impressed the onlookers with his defensive solidity and offered some much-needed stability to the Palace backline.
As a matter of fact, Wan-Bissaka notched up the third most number of tackles in the league this season, which is indicative of his willingness to win back possession for his team. He has also been quite competent going forward, completing more dribbles than any other fullback in the league.
As a result of his impressive performances, Wan-Bissaka has become a subject of intense transfer speculation linking him to a move to Manchester United as well as some other top clubs across England. He is definitely one for the future.
Luka Milivojevic
No other player has been as influential for a Premier League club as Luka Milivojevic for Crystal Palace this season. The Serbian international has produced a remarkable all-round display throughout the course of the 2018-19 campaign that helped the Eagles finish in a modest mid-table position.
Indeed, Milivojevic has offered security to the backline by operating in the holding midfield role in Palace’s 4-3-3 formation. His tally of 90 tackles is only bettered by Wan-Bissaka while the 28-year-old also amassed 58 shots – an impressive tally for a central midfielder.
Additionally, Milivojevic’s excellent delivery from set-pieces remained Palace’s main source of creativity, with the midfielder averaging 1.6 key passes – a tally only bettered by attacker Andros Townsend while he also notched up 12 goals and 2 assists.
Hence, it’s probably fair to say that Milivojevic has been the leader of the pack and one of the few unsung heroes of the Premier League this season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
