Down for the count
Patrick Vieira said he wanted his side to play like a boxer on Tyneside - one who had been hit but kept fighting on. That hit - referring to the Chelsea defeat - clearly knocked the Palace players harder than Vieira had expected though, especially if their first half at St James’ Park was anything to go by.
For the majority of the first period at St James’ Park the Eagles were second-best in almost every department. There were misplaced passes, throwaway fouls and a consistent failure to string together any kind of cohesive passage of play in the Newcastle half.
