Benteke reveals half-time plan and thoughts before his first goal

<html><head></head><body>&#34;I think it&#39;s the right time to give him a chance to show what he can do alongside Wilf [Zaha],&#34; <a href="/news/2020/december/roy-hodgson-explains-crystal-palace-team-selection-v-west-brom/">the Palace manager told Sky Sports</a>.

About two hours later, Hodgson&#39;s decision was thoroughly vindicated; both <a href="/news/2020/december/match-report-west-bromwich-albion-v-crystal-palace/">Benteke and Zaha netting a brace in a 5-1 victory</a>.
After the game, <a href="https://eagles.cpfc.co.uk/videos/interviews/christian-benteke-post-west-brom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benteke caught up with Palace TV</a> to explain how he regarded the 90 minutes, saying: &#34;I’m really pleased to have the chance to score those two goals but the most important thing is those three points because we had to react after our two defeats in a row. All the boys this afternoon did well.
&#34;I was ready and I spoke with the manager. He told me to be ready because there was a chance for me to play and I’m really pleased this afternoon.
&#34;I told [Zaha] I was happy to see him back and especially to play with him because we have pressure to play with each other and we showed that again today.&#34;
At half-time, however, Palace&#39;s victory was no foregone conclusion, with the Eagles and Baggies tied at 1-1. West Brom were down to 10-men and Palace looked strong, so Benteke reveals: &#34;We were all positive in the dressing room [at half-time]. We said: ‘We have to be patient. We have to make sure we move the ball quick and we’ll get our chances.’ That’s what we did.&#34;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shots: 5 Goals: 2 Key passes: 4 Tackles: 2 Clearances: 1 Blocks: 1 💪 What a shift.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CPFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CPFC</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WBACRY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WBACRY</a> <a href="https://t.co/mgH1VXqHWk">pic.twitter.com/mgH1VXqHWk</a>
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1335612914372235264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2020</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Finally, Benteke reflected on the first of his two goals: a close-range header on the end of Patrick van Aanholt&#39;s tight chip into the box.
The Belgian explained his thought process as Van Aanholt raced to the byline, saying: &#34;I thought he had no other solution [than] to put the ball to the near post. I said: ‘I’m going to go there. If the ball comes I’ll make sure I’m the first man to hit the ball.’&#34;
To watch highlights and match reaction from this clash for free, keep an eye on Palace TV <a href="http://eagles.cpfc.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by clicking here</a> or &#39;Palace TV&#39; within the app!
<a href="https://shop.cpfc.co.uk/event/gifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cf1f3ea2-7734-4972-87a0-29a472e83223.png" alt="Retail Christmas gifts 20-21 new.png" width="1440" height="356"/></a></body></html>

Before Crystal Palace faced West Bromwich Albion, Roy Hodgson explained why he chose to start Christian Benteke.

Related News