Crystal Palace win underpinned by three summer signings

Crystal Palace summer signings Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise announced themselves to the fans at Selhurst Park in the perfect fashion in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Tottenham.

Palace were still waiting for their first win of the season under new boss Patrick Vieira but it came in stunning form against a Tottenham side that looked sluggish and off the pace throughout. Part of the reason for that was the home team never giving them a chance to settle.

The Eagles were leading 1-0 when Edouard, bought for an initial £14m from Celtic on transfer deadline day, arrived from the bench to make his eagerly awaited debut.

The Frenchman replaced Christian Benteke, who had struggled to make an impact on the game other than as a physical presence, and will now fancy his chances of taking that place on a more permanent basis in the weeks to come given what happened next.

Edouard literally only needed seconds to get on the score-sheet and seal what was a deserved Palace win. His finish showcased a true ‘number nine’ instinct as he was marginally off balance when he struck the ball, yet he still guided it into the corner away from the reach of Hugo Lloris.

If Spurs were struggling to get back on terms at 1-0, that goal killed the game as a contest.

But there was still time for more. Olise, whose debut had been delayed until following his £7m move from Reading because of a back complaint, also came off the bench. His impact wasn’t quite as spectacular as Edouard’s but he was still involved in creating the third goal.

The 19-year-old picked up the ball on the right, moved into position to feed Conor Gallagher, who in turn laid it off to Edouard in enormous space in the Spurs penalty area. It was only a flash from Olise, but enough to suggest that he will be an asset after stepping up from the Championship.

From Edouard, his second finish was much more clinical and assured than his first and he will de delighted to come away from the game with two goals.

Lastly, a word on Gallagher. The on-loan midfielder, who arrived from Chelsea in the summer, had already shown what he can by scoring twice against West Ham in his previous appearance. This time, he showed it was no fluke and was Palace’s inspiration in midfield.

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