We've had 35 goals so far in this round of fixtures. Not bad, eh? In fact, the only team who hasn't scored on gameweek seven so far is Sunderland, with the ruddy Black Cats letting everybody down as per usual after losing 3-0 at Manchester United. We jest. It's not as if they were facing Daley Blind at centre-half or anything. We're digressing. Hello! This evening we take a look at
Watford's visit of
Crystal Palace as both sides look to contribute to what has already been a goal-laden weekend. As mentioned, we've had 35 so far - and Everton and West Brom still have to play tomorrow. Let's hope for a few more between then and now. Cue a 0-0 draw.
Right, let's have a quick look at some team news before anything else. Actually, scratch that; first, have a listen to what the fellas down at
Sports Mole HQ had to say on this evening's clash at Vicarage Road. Then we'll have team news I promise.
WATFORD XI: Gomes (GK); Nyom, Cathcart, Prödl, Anya; Capoue, Watson; Abdi, Deeney (c), Jurado; Ighalo
PALACE XI: Hennessey; Kelly, Dann (C), Hangeland, Souare; Ledley, Cabaye; Puncheon, Sako, Bolasie; Gayle
WATFORD SUBS: Arlauskis (GK), Paredes, Ake, Guedioura, Ibarbo, Berghuis, Diamanti
PALACE SUBS: McCarthy, Croll, Mariappa, McArthur, Zaha, Gray, Campbell
So, let's take a look at the hosts first and I can tell you that
Quique Sanchez Flores sticks with a winning formula from the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle. That's a flowery way of saying they're unchanged. Ighalo, who has struck four times this season already, continues to lead the line. Big Ben Watson stays in midfield due to Valon Behrami's suspension. This is the Swiss's second game out of the fold. Troy Deeney will hope to find the net this evening.
On to the Eagles now and there's a few surprises. First, Wayne Hennessey comes in for goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who drops to the bench, while the injured Scott Dann is, well, not injured anymore. He displaces Adrian Mariappa. Up top,
Dwight Gayle, who struck a League Cup hat-trick in midweek, spearheads the attack, with
Wilfried Zaha dropping to the bench. Yannick Bolasie, who signed a contract extension yesterday, starts.
Shall we take a quick look at the form? I don't see why not.
We'll start with Palace and it's all gone a bit pear-shaped for Mr Pardew and co as of late. It's been a bubble-bursting few weeks, having suffered back-to-back defeats by Manchester City and Spurs, after winning nine points from a possible 12 early doors - including a 2-1 win at Chelsea! That seems markedly less impressive now than it did at the time, considering the Blues aren't very good these days, but still.
Pardew has demanded that the Eagles finish in the top 10 this season but they need to get the wheels back on their season pronto. It is worth noting that they are, of course, not the last team who will lose to Spurs and City, but hopefully for their sake they can recover sharpish.
And what about Watford? Well, they opened up with three successive draws on their return to the big time, which was a little underwhelming, before losing 2-0 at Manchester City before the international break. They've gone from strength to strength since that, however. They picked up a 1-0 win over in-form Swansea City a fortnight ago, despite playing some half-an-hour with 10 men after Behrami was sent off. Last week, they continued in the same vein and beat Newcastle 2-1 at St James' Park.
Here's Geoff asking Joe Ledley a few questions ahead of kickoff. If one of them isn't "how can I grow a decent beard like you?" then he has missed a trick. "I'll swap you a microphone for your face warmer."
Right, we're 20 minutes from kickoff. We'll have a quick look at what the Twitter folk are saying in a few short minutes, but until then, why not have a quick read of our preview HERE!
PREDICTION! Short and sweet, I'm going for a 1-1 draw. Actually, I think it's a stick-on.
Myself and Steven Clark are reading from the same hymn sheet.
We fancy this one as well, and the prediction isn't bad either.
Hold the phone - finally somebody is predicting a Palace win.
Five minutes to go! Excited? You should be. It's a goal-laden weekend so far and hopefully this one will follow suit.
KICKOFF: Bolasie, full of beans after signing his contract, runs at Watford's defence directly from kickoff, but his shot is kind of deflected. Still, if that's an indicator of what's in store then we've got a cracker.
SHOT! What a this is from Capoue as he drills narrowly wide of Hennessey's goal. It's an excellent start here it really is.
It's so end to end already but this is woeful from Puncheon, who drills a crossfield ball to Bolasie and it flies out for a throw-in. We've not seen a great deal from Gayle up top as of yet.
Palace have been getting plenty of joy down Watford's right-hand side so far. It's going to be a long evening for Allan Nyom.
SHOT! Good work from Anya here but it's a poor shot from Troy Deeney, whose tame effort rolls into the arms of Hennessey.
CHANCE! Sako goes down hilariously easily to win a free kick, which Cabaye drills into the area and Gomes pulls off a point-blank save to keep out Hangeland, who is still angry about it.
Watford aren't as fluent as they were early doors and it's been all Palace for the last, like, 10 minutes.
It's better from Watford but, with Dann and Hangeland back there, it'll be so hard for the hosts to break down that defence. They're a nuisance individually, but in a partnership they're excellent.
Proper London derby this. Both sets of fans right up for it - and so are both sets of players. If this ends 0-0 I'll eat a hat; a woolly one.
It's all gone a bit quiet. Bjork would love this. So would Librarians. And the deaf.
Good spell by Watford there but Crystal Palace have mopped up well. Hangeland's header inside the first 10 minutes or so remains the best chance - and only chance.
Is it just me or does
Quique Sanchez Flores look like a Spanish Phil Brown. Well, Phil already looks Spanish, but Flores looks like an uber-Spanish version.
Cabaye slightly fortunate to avoid a yellow card after bringing down Deeney. It was innocent enough but still seen them given.
We've reached the half-hour mark and it's very, very even, but
Jose Jurado might've had a chance here had he taken a shot, but he played it wide to Ardi and Deeney's header is poor.
Palace have a corner now after good work from big Bakary Sako, but Cabaye's delivery is over hit and it's a Watford throw-in. Despite chances being a bare minimum, it's been a good game.
Dwight Gayle struck a hat-trick in midweek but I must say the Watford defence have rendered him pointless so far. He's been non-existent and it's a position that might undermine Palace this term.
BOOKING: First booking of the evening as Almen Abdi fouls Bolasie, and Cabaye will whip this into the box. It's from a similar position as when Hangeland threatened Gomes.
Nope. It comes to nothing as Cabaye's delivery is drilled wide. He stuck too much pace on that one. Four minutes until the break.
Swift counter-attack from Ighalo as he picks the pocket of Ledley. He plays it wide to Jurado, whose cross into the area is cut out well by Dann and the chance is gone. I said I'd eat a woolly hat if this ends 0-0 but I'd like to point out that I won't because it might.
HALF TIME: Watford 0-0 Palace
Well, wasn't a great half, was it? Nope. In fact, it was rather dire; well, by way of chances anyway. Brede Hangeland forced Gomes into a point-blank save inside 10 minutes but, other than that, precious little to note. It's been a game in which both defences have come out on top in this first 45 minutes or so. We tempted fate by mentioning the fact there were 35 goals scored yesterday, I think.
KICKOFF: We're back. Can we have a few goals please lads? Can we have a few chances then? Okay we'll hold you to that. Watford kick us off again. Let's go.
OFF THE BAR! Jurado very nearly answered our prayers as he fires an excellent free kick over the wall, but it bounces off the bar and Prodl heads over! That'll do Watford the world of good because they were a little pedestrian in that first half.
At the other end, Sako does well to play in Souare down the left-hand flank, but his cross is too close for Gomes who collects. I'm a big fan of Sako. He's got pace, power and he can finish. We've seen two of those qualities so far today.
Puncheon has also been a little too quiet this evening for my liking. He's got the talent to make things happen for Palace, as does Cabaye of course, but they've had little effect.
SHOT! Better from Watford as Almen Abdi drives a low, daisy-cutter from outside the box, but Hennessey holds well.
Excellent counter-attack from Palace directly from a Watford corner and Abdi, who's been booked, fouls Gayle on the edge of the box. There's no shortage of takers, but it looks like Sako.
CLOSE! Sako's low free kick is poor, but it takes a wicked deflection and trickles wide of Gomes's goal. The corner comes to nothing.
OFF THE POST! Oh my word this one is coming to life now, and what a ridiculously good ball this is from Sako across the face of goal for Gayle, who floats a first-time effort against the post. Gomes was beaten. Sako's coming to life.
SUB: Amazing. Pardew brings off Sako, far and away Palace's best player in this half, for Zaha. I'm no manager, but withdrawing your best player seems a little silly. Time will tell.
SUB: Watford make their first sub now as Abdi, who's lucky not to have been sent off, makes way for Steven Berghuis. That's a good sub because the already-booked Abdi is a bit of a loose cannon, but withdrawing Sako still seems mental.
We said way back in the first half that I'd eat a woolly hat if it ended 0-0 but that's looking increasingly more likely unfortunately.
PENALTY TO PALACE!
GOAL! Watford 0-1 Crystal Palace (Yohan Cabaye penalty)
Brilliant penalty this as Cabaye fires the top left-hand corner with aplomb, and Pardew is grinning like a cheshire cat, whatever that phrase means. We said withdrawing Sako for Zaha was dodgy, but it was the ex-Man United man who won the penalty. That's why Pardew is there and I'm pony on Football Manager.
Watford have fire in their bellies now as Ighalo looks to go through on goal, but Hangeland, who's been superb all day, sticks out one of those big legs of his to thwart the Watford striker. Huge moment.
SUB: Nathan Ake, on loan from Chelsea, replaces Ikechi Anya for the last 14 minutes or so.
BOOKING: Cabaye goes into the book for a stupid foul on Jurado. If they score from this he'll go from hero to villain, but the free kick comes to nothing thankfully.
SUB: Cabaye goes off and he's replaced by James McArthur. He's not been brilliant by any means today, but his brilliant penalty is, as it stands, the difference between both sides.
Nine minutes to go and Palace still holding firm back there.
BOOKING: Craig Cathcart earns another booking for Watford after fouling Gayle, who has been a lot better in this half.
SUB: One last throw of the dice for Flores as he hauls off Watson for Juan Paredes. They've got three strikers on the field now, and a midfield about as solid as a baby's nappy accident.
CLOSE! We said Watford's midfield was shaky now and Gayle very nearly puts the result beyond doubt as he drills just wide of Gomes's goal after turning Anya.
Three minutes to go and Watford throwing the kitchen sink at Palace now but the visitors are defending well.
FIVE MINUTES ADDED ON: Never say never, Watford fans. Your boys have five minutes in which to snatch a point.
CLOSE! This is the best thing we've seen from Bolasie all evening as he curls a decent effort just over Gomes's bar. Three minutes to go.
Poor delivery from Jurado as their corner comes to nothing. They keep coming...
BLOCK! Well, Ledley certainly looks like a viking, and he's shown the spirit of one here as he throws himself in the line of fire to block Deeney's fierce drive. Fair play to him. Had that shot hit his head it would've knocked him back into a viking era momentarily.
FULL TIME: Watford 0-1 Crystal Palace
That's it!
Yohan Cabaye's penalty on 71 minutes is enough to settle a very even contest at Vicarage Road as visiting Crystal Palace win 1-0! That's their first victory in three Premier League games. Watford weren't great, but Palace were superb at the back it has to be said. Brede Hangeland staked his claim for future berths after deputising for the injured Damien Delaney and, well, he'll take some shifting and not only because he's approximately eight foot. Anywho, that's us. Cheers for tuning in and we'll see you next time.