IAN Holloway has leapt to the defence of Julian Speroni after the keeper’s late error cost the Eagles two points in their 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town at Selhurst Park.

Ten-man Crystal Palace had looked set to take a shock win until Keith Southern’s tame effort slipped agonisingly through the Argentine’s legs.

But Holloway refused to criticise his stopper, admitting the hosts would not have had a lead to lose if it wasn’t for Speroni.

The 33-year-old had looked unbeatable, making at least three world class saves as well as denying Adam Clayton from the penalty spot to keep Huddersfield at bay almost single headedly before his error.

Holloway said: “It’s not a blooper, it came through a crowd of players.

“He’s tried to pick it up and the ball has slipped underneath him on a greasy day.

“But where would we have been without him?

“We would have been 1-0 down.

“Let’s look at the penalty shall we?

“I thought Sean Scannell was looking for it, I thought he deliberately played for it.

“He could have easily taken a couple of extra steps and got on the end of it.

“So the save was important to us, the player is important to us.

“He’s a terrific fellow, he’s that good we have a bar named after him, so am I going to criticise him when he has saved our bacon at a really important time?

“Not a chance.”

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