Crystal Palace claimed bragging rights in the A23 derby thanks to Jordan Ayew’s seventh goal of the campaign.

His 70th minute strike settled a feisty contest and sent the Eagles faithful delirious as they all but secured Premier League survival whilst thrusting their fierce rivals into the relegation battle.

On a day where the result was paramount over performance, Ayew’s goal will have cemented himself into Palace folklore, but it was another of Roy Hodgson’s side which had fans purring.

Vicente Guaita, already a Palace hero thanks to multiple Man Of The Match displays this season, had a brick wall in front of him.

Joel Ward, Scott Dann and Patrick van Aanholt all rightly getting plaudits, but the man who wore the armband in the absence of Luka Milivojevic was the cream of the crop.

Of course, Gary Cahill.

 

Establishing himself as a key leading figure in the side, the former Chelsea captain and Champions League winner once again proved those who say he was looking for a final pay day when he arrived on a free transfer in the summer wrong.

 

Cahill may have got the Man Of The Match award with fans drooling over his display, but it’s not to say his defensive partner didn’t get any recognition.