Garth Crooks Praises 'Brilliant' Crystal Palace Star After Goalless Draw With Man Utd

BBC pundit Garth Crooks has praised Crystal Palace's Mamadou Sakho, including him in his Team of the Week after the defender helped his side to an impressive

BBC pundit Garth Crooks has praised Crystal Palace's Mamadou Sakho, including him in his Team of the Week after the defender helped his side to an impressive point against Manchester United at the weekend.

Palace drew 0-0 with United on Saturday and, as you'd expect at Old Trafford, were forced to do a lot of defending. However, Sakho was at the heart of a resolute back four as the Eagles kept their opponents at arm's length for much of the encounter. 

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His individual performance earned him some flattering words after the match, and former Tottenham and Stoke striker Crooks was among those dishing out the plaudits when he named the BBC's Team of the Week.

Including the 28-year-old in a three-man defence alongside Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, Crooks said: "Against United, he was brilliant. He showed composure and leadership in equal measure.

"I suggest Sakho remembers every second of his performance at Old Trafford and refuses to depart from the things that made him excellent on the day.

"I've seen Sakho have games that have had me hiding behind the sofa. He can be brilliant on his day but he can also be the master of disaster.

"It's time he ironed out his calamities because there is an exceptional defender in there somewhere."

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Since joining from Liverpool in 2017, Sakho has become a key player at the centre of Palace's defence, and has played every minute of the Premier League season so far.