Cardiff 2-3 Crystal Palace: Bluebirds RELEGATED to the Championship following defeat to Eagles

Cardiff 2-3 Crystal Palace: Bluebirds RELEGATED to the Championship following defeat to Eagles
Cardiff have been relegated to the Championship following a 3-2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace.Neil Warnock’s men needed to win their final two matches to have a chance of overtaking Brighton, who enjoyed a four-point advantage and a far superior goal difference heading into the penultimate weekend.3

Cardiff have been relegated to the Championship

But clinical Palace played the familiar role of executioners as Wilfried Zaha, Michy Batshuayi and Andros Townsend scored, with Cardiff replying through a Martin Kelly own goal and Bobby Reid’s stoppage-time strike.Cardiff, as has so often been the case this season, were not short of commitment and energy, just a lack of quality, which has been their undoing this season.Against opponents, who have incredibly won nine times on the road compared to four at Selhurst Park this season, they were brutally punished, with Zaha at his brilliant best.Ironically Zaha, a former Bluebird loanee, was on the pitch the last time Cardiff were relegated from the top flight five years ago, alongside Aron Gunnarsson, who was playing his final home game for the club after eight years and over 280 games.Cardiff owner Vincent Tan had made a rare visit to the Welsh capital and he saw his side come close to taking the lead within 40 seconds. Josh Murphy’s drive from distance dipped devilishly to strike a post, but Cardiff’s momentum was slowed when the influential Victor Camarasa hobbled off after 10 minutes with what appeared to be a dead leg.Palace began to stroke the ball around with confidence and Zaha fired into the side netting as he began to torment his marker Lee Peltier.Cardiff failed to heed the warning as Zaha took Townsend’s return pass and planted a low shot into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.It took the Palace winger into double figures for the season, with nine of his 10 league goals coming away from home.Cardiff were level within three minutes when substitute Leandro Bacuna broke on to Reid’s pass and down the right to deliver a cross.It should not have a posed a problem to Palace, but the hapless Kelly diverted the ball into an empty net after the goalkeeper Vicente Guaita had gambled that the ball would reach him.GETTY3

Warnock said he was proud of his team after they were relegated

“Martin Kelly, he wants Brighton down,” sang the Palace fans mischievously, keen to see their great rivals rather than Cardiff go down.It was a lifeline for Cardiff, but Zaha was intent on cutting the cord. Zaha and Luka Milivojevic combined well and Batshuayi drove home after he had played a clever one-two with Jordan Ayew.Guaita saved from Bruno Ecuele Managa and Reid as Cardiff again responded well to falling behind, but Etheridge prevented Batshuayi’s point-blank header from extending the lead.Murphy made a horrible mess of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s cross after the break and Kelly blocked another attempt from the winger as Cardiff pressed frantically.Reid then slipped Kenneth Zohore clean through, but the substitute’s shot was kept out by Guaita.3

Andros Townsend celebrates his fine strike

Cardiff paid the price for those missed chances when Townsend drove from the halfway line, cut inside Joe Bennett and beat Etheridge from 20 yards via the near post.Mendez-Laing provided further proof that it was not to be Cardiff’s day, or season for that matter, when he failed to beat James McArthur on the goal-line and saw Guaita push another effort on to the post.Reid fired home a beauty at the death but Cardiff were down, as Palace added them to Hull, Stoke and Huddersfield as sides they have relegated in recent seasons.

---

Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Unai Emery's post-match press conference here at the Emirates. It's been a tough night for Arsenal, who drew 0-0 with Sporting CP and lost Danny Welbeck to a horror looking ankle injury. Unai Emery is about to face the press and we'll bring you live updates as soon as he arrives.

---

Chelsea vs Manchester City Carabao Cup final analysis: How Maurizio Sarri can avenge 6-0 loss Keep up to date with the latest news, features and exclusives from football.london via the free football.london app for iPhone and Android. Available to download from the App Store and Google Play.
~ Chelsea vs Manchester City team news: Confirmed Blues XI

---

Five of the Reasons why Chelsea's season has fallen apart. Five reasons why being a Chelsea fan this season has been so bad. Mike Dean to M1ke Deanbot- How far off AI referees are we?
Five reasons Chelsea should have seen Sarri mess coming

---

Everyone's remembering Cheick Tiote's stunning goal against Arsenal after the midfielder's death Viral sports news | Published: Jun 5, 2017 The former Newcastle midfielder was just 30 years old
Everyone's remembering Cheick Tiote's stunning goal against

---

'Brendan Rodgers can transform Leicester into a top six club', says Sam Allardyce on talkSPORT TOP SIX GOALS Big Sam insists the Northern Irishman cannot be blamed for wanting to leave Celtic and return to the Premier League Sam Allardyce insists Brendan Rodgers cannot be blamed for wanting to leave Celtic and return to the Premier League
Brendan Rodgers keen on Celtic's Kieran Tierney and will

---

Top transfer rumours: Liverpool ready to let Naby Keita leave the club - ITV News Main page content Source link Related
Football gossip: Oblak, Pogba, Wan-Bissaka, Rose - BBC Sport

---

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been crowned Premier League manager of the month, becoming the first Manchester United boss to win the award since Sir Alex Ferguson. The 1999 Treble hero has won nine of
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Targets Top 4 and Trophy for Manchester

---

Fenerbahce have made a loan offer for Chelsea winger Victor Moses, according to reports. Moses, 28, has been frozen out by Blues boss Maurizio Sarri, making just five appearances this season. He featured prominently in Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 formation as Chelsea won the Premier League title in 2017.
Fenerbahce make loan offer for Blues outcast Victor Moses

---

Ruben Loftus-Cheek will reportedly miss the remainder of January due to the Chelsea midfielder's back injury flaring up. Loftus-Cheek was withdrawn inside the opening 45 minutes of Saturday's
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Chelsea midfielder to miss remainder of

---

Manchester United news: How Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side could

---

FIFA investigation into Chelsea transfer dealings 'involves over 100 young player cases' with club facing potential two-year ban if found guilty FIFA's probe into Chelsea's transfer dealings
Chelsea transfer crisis: Blues set for ANOTHER probe - latest

---

Nov 13, 2018 · A short statement on the club's website read: "The board of directors of Real Madrid CF, which met today, 13 November 2018, has agreed to appoint Santiago Solari as first-team coach until 30
Real Madrid name Santiago Solari as permanent manager until

---

Jose Mourinho takes his Manchester United side to Anfield this Sunday for what is unfailingly one of the stand-out fixtures of the Premier League campaign. Queen's Club with former world No 1
2008-09 Manchester United F.C. season - Wikipedia

---

crunch time All you need to know to tune into the action from Griffin Park Leeds United face a crucial clash with Brentford on Monday evening - and you can listen to LIVE commentary on talkSPORT. The Whites relinquished second place in the Championship to Sheffield United at the weekend after a shock defeat at […]
QPR vs Leeds live on talkSPORT 2: Full commentary and free

---

Harry Kane has been the Premier League top scorer for two seasons runningCredit: Getty Images. Kane starred for Spurs last However Dier says Tottenham have a lot of players who will be able to compete for the Ballon d'Or in future if they show the right attitude.
Harry Kane says scoring is great but Tottenham trophies

---