Clive Allen’s analysis - benefits of the byline...

Clive Allen highlighted how getting to the byline in our attacking play could pay dividends as early as the win against Manchester United back in August - we’ve now scored five goals that way, with Palace the latest example as we ran out 2-1 winners at Selhurst Park on Friday evening.

Legendary former striker and coach Clive, who famously scored 49 goals in 1986/87 - still a club record - is now part of our commentary and pundit teams on the Review Show on matchdays, and pointed out when Pape Matar Sarr opened the scoring against United how difficult it was to defend as Deki Kulusevski hit the right byline and then cut the ball back for Pape to fire home.

Deki was next to benefit from Destiny Udogie’s cut back at Bournemouth, then Heung-Min Son from James Maddison’s assist in the north London derby. Both goals against Liverpool came down the sides, although not quite to the byline, but both goals at Selhurst Park certainly were, first up, Joel Ward’s own goal after Pape got to the byline, then Sonny’s close-range finish from Brennan Johnson’s cross.

Speaking on the Review Show, alongside host Ben Haines, Clive explained: “When you look at the way the first goal is crafted, there’s a Romero forward pass, a Porro forward pass, getting to the byline again… I know that’s my baby this season, but the number of times we get to the byline and create opportunities…

“I like the first forward pass to Porro, the second forward pass (to Pape Matar Sarr) to the byline, then it goes into the box. Okay, there’s a bit of good fortune the way it then pops up to Maddison, it’s an instinctive strike (from Maddison) across the face of goal, Ward can’t do anything about it when it hits his shin.

“That’s the second time we’ve gained own goals - the other against Liverpool - because of the ferocity of the cross, Maddison’s shot ends up in the back of the net. In the build-up, we get to the byline, and the number of times we get to the byline this season, I think we’ll see great rewards. We’ve already seen it, and that’s another.

“The second goal, fabulous diagonal from Sarr and Johnson, who has just come into the game, a forward header, a great run, feeds the ball into Sonny, and we’ve seen him in that position a number of times and he makes the finish look easy, but it’s a sensational build up and really good finish.

“It’s great work from Maddison and what a contribution from Johnson, coming into the game and making an impact. That was great to see. You can see the appreciation from Sonny for the pass. It was a really well worked goal, fantastic play.

"Palace made it difficult in the way they denied us the space to play through them, but it was all about our patience and belief in the way we wanted to play and get the win. Overall, I thought it was a first-class away performance in what is always a difficult Premier League game, always difficult to go to Selhurst Park, and we did a superb job."