RUBEN NEVES let his hair down after firing Wolves nine points clear of the drop.
Clangers from Joachim Andersen and Sam Johnstone were punished by the midfielder and delivered Roy Hodgson’s first defeat since returning.
Joachim Andersen scored a nightmare own goal
Andersen bundled the ball into his own net after just three minutes, before Johnstone gave away a calamitous penalty in extra time blasted home by Ruben Neves.
Palace were already out of the mess after ten points from Hodgson’s first four games back and Julen Lopetegui’s side now join them nine points clear of the bottom three, surely safe for the season.
On Monday, Hodgson had waxed lyrical about Andersen, usually a rock at the heart of the Palace defence, highlighting his ability with the ball in particular.
The Dane hardly repaid his manager for the gushing praise here.
Neves, restored to the side having been left on the bench at Leicester on Saturday, bent a corner in from the right, leaving Andersen in a muddle as he sent the ball onto the underside of the bar off of his thigh and in.
Wolves’ strikers have been struggling to score all season so Lopetegui gladly accepted Andersen’s gift.
In the Wolves goal, Sa was looking to redeem himself after giving away a clumsy penalty at the King Power.
Having held Eze’s effort well, the Portuguese made a stunning reflex save from Lokonga’s powerful volley.
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Ruben Neves celebrates after netting Wolves’ late second
What was Sam Johnstone doing
Late drama at the Molineux… pic.twitter.com/RNMRz7WZ6m
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Palace were starting to click going forward after a clumsy start – Eze and Michael Olise floating around and looking to cause trouble in the absence of Wilfried Zaha.
The break came as Palace had finally hit their stride, and also saw them lose Andersen following a knock picked up late in the first half.
But the Eagles kept their foot down following the restart, with Andersen’s replacement, Joel Ward, driving forward from right-back.
For all their control and the efforts of Eze and Olise to craft openings, the final ball was still lacking, with Jordan Ayew a willing runner through the middle but offering little in the way of a clinical touch.
The visitors continued to push with Wolves hanging on towards the end, Sa having to brilliantly tip Eze’s volley over the bar before the No10 saw another long range strike deflected behind.
Hodgson wants others to step up in Zaha’s absence, and Eze was doing all he could to try and do just that but was unable to find the magic moment the Palace legend so often manages.
But it looked like something would come for the Eagles, who had Wolves exactly where they wanted them until Johnstone’s moment to forget.
The former West Brom keeper misplaced a pass straight to the feet of sub Neto, diving in with both feet to try and win it back but catching the winger instead.
Neves blasted home the penalty before letting his hair down for the final few minutes – the Wolves captain perhaps finally assured of safety.
You can read how the action unfolded in our live blog below…
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