Cabaye makes Watford pay the penalty as Palace climb into top six

Yohan Cabaye’s penalty took Crystal Palace past Watford and into the Premier League top six – a spot they are 5/1 with Coral to hold come the end of this season.

Victory for the visitors at Vicarage Road ended a run of successive victories for the Hertfordshire side, and puts the Londoners among elite company with seven matches of the 38-game season now gone.

Eagles boss Alan Pardew rewarded Dwight Gayle with a league starting spot up front, after his hat-trick proved decisive in the South London derby Capital One Cup third round tie against Charlton Athletic in midweek.

Scott Dann was back in the heart of Palace’s defence, partnered by Brede Hangeland with Damien Delaney missing. African attackers Yannick Bolasie and Bakary Sako supported the striker in a top-heavy visiting XI.

Hornets head coach Quique Sanchez Flores, meanwhile, named the same side that beat Newcastle United 2-1 last time out in Premier League action.

Chances were few and far between in the first-half, with Hangeland’s set-piece header kept out by a reaction stop from Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Although the left-sided combination of Jose Manuel Jurado and Ikechi Anya on the counter down the Eagles’ right proved a problem, it led to nothing before the break.

Spanish attacking midfielder Jurado then cracked a delightful free-kick against Wayne Hennessey’s crossbar shortly after the restart.

An open approach from Palace, with the wide diamond in operation, lasted just 50 minutes before Pardew switched tactics to the en vogue 4-2-3-1.