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| Palace keeper Hennessey is already looking ahead to England Wales after the Euro 2016 draw |
WAYNE HENNESSEY set his sights on a Euro 2016 battle of the goalkeepers with Joe Hart after his crucial last-gasp save secured Crystal Palace victory over Southampton.
The Welshman made a brilliant stop with his legs to foil Shane Long one-on-one in injury time and then found out his country were drawn in England's group in France.
That will mean a reunion with Hart, a near neighbour in his younger days.
"It was a big save at a crucial time," he said. "I haven't done one for a while - I think I did one for Wales against Belgium.
"That England game is a tough one. They have fantastic players and a good manager. We will concentrate on ourselves and try to win.
"They are blessed with goalkeepers. I'm very close to Joe Hart. He's a fantastic keeper, some of the saves he's made over the years have been outstanding.
"It's a part and parcel of being a goalkeeper that you will be amazing some days and make the odd mistake in others, but Joe is doing tremendously well.
"I can't wait. Every game I represent my country it is an honour. It makes my family proud too.
"I have known Joe for a while because when I was at Wolves I used to live in Shrewsbury. His family used to live not far from me. I played against him numerous times and we kind of stayed together. I probably won't text him now though."
While Hennessey ensured all three points, they were set up by a virtuoso display from Yohan Cabaye who scored the winner in the 38th minute with a tap-in from Yannick Bolasie's cross.
"He is a dream to work with," said manager Alan Pardew. "He's a low-maintenance player. I don't know about the best but he would certainly be in my top five. I'm very fortunate the club found the finance to get him here because it was not an easy deal from PSG.
"We've earned that right over the last four or five years to get good players like Yohan Cabaye. We need to go and find ourselves another one, maybe another two, and then we'd be a really good team."
For Southampton this was a third defeat in four ahead of a reunion with their former manager Maurico Pochettino and Tottenham next weekend, and they certainly came out fighting after the match.
"We've been going through a sticky patch, but those are the games that could bring out the best in us because the desire and fighting spirit are there," said captain Jose Fonte. "We have shown we can compete against anyone and we are not scared of anyone.
"I make Spurs a much-improved side. Mauricio is doing a great job there, slowly he is leaving his stamp on the team and we expect a tough game. People talk of Tottenham as possible title contenders, but we need points now and it will be a big challenge.
"I see how much they press, how much they run, how much they are willing to put their opponents under pressure and it looks familiar.
"Obviously we know how they play and what they do, but we will be ready for them."
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1): Hennessey 8; Ward 7, Dann 7, Delaney 7, Souare 6; McArthur 7, Cabaye 9; Zaha 8, Puncheon 7 (Mutch 85), Bolasie 8; Wickham 6 (Chamakh 90). Goal: Cabaye 38. NEXT UP: Stoke (a) PL, Sat.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-3-1): Gazzinga 7; Soares 6, Fonte 6, Van Dijk 4, Bertrand 6; Wanyama 6, Yoshida 6 (Tadic 67, 6); Mane 6, S Davis 7 (Pelle 67, 6), Romeu 6 (Ward-Prowse 79); Long 6. NEXT UP: Tottenham (h) PL, Sat.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
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