Once a Red Devil, it seems, always a Red Devil. He might have left Manchester United under something of a cloud – aiming a few digs in the ribs of Erik ten Hag on his way out the door – but a man let go by the Premier League giants last summer could not keep his allegiances to himself as he helped inspire a famous win over the team despised by most in this corner of the North West.
‘Brilliant’ was the word used to describe the performance by one of his jubilant team-mates. And not without justificaition.
Dean Henderson, in what was by far and away his finest Crystal Palace display since joining The Eaglesin a £20 million deal back in 2023, certainly did his former club proud as Oliver Glasner’s team became the second in the space of just a few days to claim a famous win at Anfield.
After that Thursday night capitulation at home to Atalanta, Ebere Eze’s 14th minute winner felt provided a sequel to 2014’s fabled ‘Crystanbul’.
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“I think our first-half was fantastic,” Joachim Andersen, colossal at the heart of a heroic Crystal Palace backline, tells the club’s official website. “Of course, when you’re 1-0 up at Anfield it’s always going to be a difficult second-half.
Henderson denied Mo Salah with an instinctive back-post stop in the first-half and then kept out Darwin Nunez with an incredible display of reflexes in the second. He barely had a second to react, but the former Sheffield United man threw out a knee to deflect the Uruguayan’s thumping volley over the bar from point-blank range.
“They’re going to push and the pressure is on them, and they have to win today to keep on top,” Andersen adds. I think Hendo made some brilliant saves, and everyone defended like we’ve been talking about the whole week.”
Henderson departed Old Trafford in August of last year.
The England international endured a mixed start to life at Crystal Palace, and only finds himself back in the starting XI due to an injury suffered by another ex-Manchester United starlet in Sam Johnstone. This, however, was a timely reminder as to the shot-stopping talents of a man who, if not for an untimely bout of COVID back in 2020, might have established himself as Man United’s number one during the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era.
‘Brilliant’ Dean Henderson proves his worth at last
“It’s not that easy, and the players did it really well today,” Glasner beams after a result which should ensure Crystal Palace will once again be playing Premier League football in 2024/25. “It was three or four situations where we opened the middle, where they could pass and turn, and then it was immediately dangerous.
“But we had a great mentality. And, at the end, we had Dean, who saved two or three times.
“In some situations you need the luck, but it’s the same. You don’t get it as a gift, you have to deserve it. I think the players deserved it, because it was this spirit, and it’s an experience I got over 30 years in football.
“Then you are able to win these games.”
Liverpool, stunned by Atalanta in the Europa League and Erik ten Hag’s United in the FA Cup, are now facing up to the very real prospect of seeing Jurgen Klopp sign off with only a Carabao Cup to his name.