CRYSTAL Palace may have lost 2-1 to Arsenal this afternoon at Selhurst Park but they were certainly not embarrassed by the visitors.
The Eagles can be fairly proud of their performance against Arsene Wenger's side after having a decent amount of possession, but it could have been a very different outcome at the death with the woodwork saving the Gunners.
After Glenn Murray had pulled one back in the third of five added-on minutes, the striker headed against the foot of the post in the final 20 seconds.
It would have been a glorious comeback and probably a fair result, but it just wasn't to be as David Ospina smothered the loose ball.
Arsenal took the lead after eight minutes through Santi Cazorla's penalty, after Pape Souare's clumsy challenge had brought down Danny Welbeck just inside the danger area. It was a borderline decision.
It was a terrible start for the Eagles and also for Souare on his Premier League debut having mis-controlled a pass.
Palace's response was good, however, with Scott Dann inches away from connecting with a free-kick sent in from the right, before Dwight Gayle showed willingness down the opposite flank, only to fluff his final ball.
Pardew's men continued to press the Gunners back, although the Gunners could have made it 2-0 had Laurent Koscielny connected better with a header at the back post from a corner.
Gayle went close direct from a free-kick just before the half-hour mark, before Per Mertesacker got the ball stuck in between his feet as he went to clear a cross, only to escape at the last second with a clearance.
Julian Speroni had little to do so far apart from pick the ball out of the net, as the Eagles' defence stood firm against the likes of Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil.
However, just before the break Palace found themselves two goals behind – and it was harsh on the Eagles.
Sanchez found Welbeck, who looked offside, and his shot was parried by Speroni but only into the path of Giroud to stab home under pressure.
Into the second half and Palace started very brightly, forcing Arsenal back and winning a couple of corners in quick succession.
But they suffered a blow when Campbell went down clutching his right hamstring and was replaced by Yannick Bolasie just before the hour-mark.
And the winger had an immediate impact, running at Callum Chambers and creating chances in front of the Holmesdale Stand, including one where he found Zaha at the back post but the Academy product's shot was blocked.
Zaha then cut the ball back to Jordon Mutch arriving in the danger area, but the January signing got it all wrong with a first-time effort, followed by a wayward Bolasie shot minutes later.
Gayle went closer with a bullet header after connecting with an excellent delivery from Souare, before Puncheon had the whole ground gasping when his direct free-kick curled around the Arsenal wall and just past the post as Ospina was left rooted.
Glenn Murray and Shola Ameobi came on to give Palace some injection up front, but it was Bolasie who continued to be a thorn in Arsenal's side, running through the middle after shrugging off Chambers but his final product was poor in the end.
Murray had a glancing header held by Ospina from a corner, and then in added-on time the goalkeeper saved well from Bolasie on the line.
Palace threw men forward and grabbed a goal back through Murray, who stabbed home from close range after initially blocking a shot from Zaha.
And in the final seconds, Murray was denied a dramatic equaliser when his glancing header stuck the foot of the far post.
It was desperately unlucky for the Eagles, who went off to a standing ovation.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Souare, Dann, Delaney, Zaha, Mutch, Ledley (Ameobi 80), Puncheon, Gayle (Murray 80), Campbell (Bolasie 58).
Subs Not Used: Hennessey, Hangeland, Jedinak, Kelly.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Report by Mark Ritson, for the Croydon Advertiser
