Crystal Palace are facing relegation to the Championship in the face if they cannot bring in a striker during the January transfer window.
Roy Hodgson’s men have been over-reliant on the quality of Wilfried Zaha both this season and last and that could now be coming back to bite them.
It was the solo performances of the Ivorian that single-handedly kept them in the Premier League last season and as a result, some of the big boys came calling for his services over the summer.
Zaha decided to remain loyal and see out another season with the Eagles, but the club were unable to strengthen and match his ambitions.
Injuries to Christian Benteke and a lack of trust in Alexander Sorloth means Hodgson has been forced to use both Zaha and Andros Townsend in a makeshift strike partnership at times this season.
It’s far from ideal for the Palace boss, with the club just two points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.
There are now serious concerns about Crystal Palace being dragged into a relegation fight while not having enough ammunition in the final third to pull themselves out of danger. Most of the best online bookies will have Hodgson’s men among the favourites for the drop.
With the likes of Cardiff finding their feet in the Premier League and Southampton bringing in a new manager to turn their fortunes around, Palace have to act quickly to ensure that they do not get left behind in 2019 and the best way to do that would be to bring in a new centre-forward.
They say finding someone to put the ball in the back of the net is one of the hardest things to do in the game, but for Crystal Palace, it could be that or bust after a rather lucky escape last season.
