Gayle difficult to oppose as Crystal Palace’s sharpest shooter

With the club’s leading scorer likely to be crocked for some months to come and Darren Bent still a whisper on the wind, Crystal Palace will be placing all their faith on the green shoulders of new signing Dwight Gayle to grab the goals.

No pressure then on Posh-turned-Palace striker Dwight Gayle who is odds-on at 4/6 to be newly promoted Crystal Palace’s top Premier League scorer when the tallies are totalled in May.

Nevertheless, the 22-year-old still looks the bet in a shortlist which makes worrying reading at present for those followers of the south London outfit.

Gayle hogged the headlines for his 13-goal contribution in 29 Championship games in what was ultimately a losing cause playing for Peterborough last term.

Having been on-loan at non-league Bishop Stortford from Dagenham in the preceding campaign, Gayle’s rise to prominence falls squarely into the meteoric category it must be said, though Palace were
apparently prepared to spend a pretty penny to secure his services.

Ordinarily of course, Glenn Murray, the man whose ability to hit the onion bag with ease went a long way to facilitating Palace’s promotion last season, would be the name at the summit.

However, a cruel twist in the closing stages of the Championship season saw Murray sustain a cruciate knee-ligament which looks set to keep the Selhurst Park favourite out of action until November at least, giving rise to his lengthy price of 6/1.

This is a bitter blow for all parties involved and one which may yet lead to further strengthening in the striking department, with Bent the latest to be linked with a potential transfer.

Meanwhile, super Kevin Phillips, hero of Wembley and a former Premier League top scorer is perhaps a little short at 5/1, considering he’s now embarked upon his 41st year on terra firma.
Holloway will be sure to use him as sparingly as sugar during the war.

Beyond that, Jerome Thomas at 10/1 will provide fine wing play no doubt, but having never reached beyond three goals in a lengthy Premier League career, a sudden burst of prolificy seems unlikely.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.