Crystal Palace 1-0 Middlesbrough: Patrick Van Aanholt earns Sam Allardyce a crucial win over relegation rivals Boro to lift Eagles out the drop zone

Daily Mail | February 25, 2017

Former Sunderland defender Patrick Van Aanholt scored the winner to lift new side Crystal Palace out of the bottom three and level on points with Middlesbrough.

Van Aanholt, brought to Selhurst Park by Sam Allardyce in January, coolly curled an effot from the edge of the area past Boro keeper Victor Valdes after 34 minutes.

It proved enough to beat Boro, who have not won since before Christmas and remain the lowest scorers in the Premier League.

More to follow.

Patrick van Aanholt gives Crystal Palace the lead against Middlesbrough with a curled right footed effort at Selhurst Park

Van Aanholt, a January signing for Palace from fellow relegation strugglers Sunderland, grabbed the winner after 34 minutes

Van Aanholt is mobbed by his team mates in celebration as Boro goalkeeper Victor Valdes showed his frustration

Valdes was unable to keep the left back's fine effort out of the net, a goal which could prove crucial at the end of the season

Mamadou Sakho (left) made his debut for Palace on Saturday and mostly did a good job keeping Middlesbrough quiet

Palace had shouts for an early penalty turned down after it looked as if Daniel Ayala had pushed over Wilfried Zaha

Middlesbrough's Gaston Ramirez is closed down effectively by Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic and Yohan Cabaye

Jason Puncheon of Palace tackles Adam Forshaw of Boro as the home side targeted a second clean sheet in 30 games

Palace captain Puncheon blocks off former Palace midfielder and January signing for Boro, Adlene Guedioura

Sakho had not played for months after falling out of favour at Liverpool but looked assured in his first Eagles game

Goalscorer Van Aanholt is pressed into defensive duty to shield the ball out with Boro defender Ben Gibson in attendance

Stewart Downing was forced to play at wing back due to Boro's injury problems and he had to deal with Andros Townsend

Boro wing back Fabio is booked in the second half amidst the rain by referee Bobby Madley

Crystal Palace's fans are aiming to shoot down the teams above them as they aim to escape the relegation dogfight

Palace fans make their feelings clear towards a Middlesbrough player as he prepares to take a corner

Palace manager Sam Allardyce has struggled to turn the team around since taking over in December but here claimed a win