Chapter 17: FA Cup: Crystal Palace vs. Derby County
The air at Selhurst Park buzzed with anticipation as fans packed the stadium, their chants reverberating off the stands. The FA Cup Round 3 tie between Crystal Palace and Derby County was moments away, and the tension was palpable.
Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace had lined up with a strong starting eleven, a clear statement of intent. Wayne Hennessey stood in goal, steady and composed. The back four consisted of Martin Kelly at right-back, Gary Cahill and Cheikhou Kouyaté as the center-backs, and Jairo Riedewald on the left. In midfield, the captain Luka Milivojević anchored alongside James McCarthy and max Meyer, while Connor Wickham led the attack, flanked by Jordan Ayew on the left and Brandon Pierrick on the right.
On the other side, Wayne Rooney—player-coach for Derby County—had surprised everyone by fielding a completely different lineup from their last league match. Between the posts stood Kelle Roos, wearing number 21. The backline consisted of Jayden Bogle at right-back, Curtis Davies and Craig Forsyth as the center-backs, and Scott Malone on the left. In midfield, Tom Huddlestone partnered Wayne Rooney himself, while the young prodigy, David Jones, started on the right wing, with Tom Lawrence on the left and Louie Sibley playing just behind Chris Martin, the lone striker.
The commentators' voices hummed over the broadcast.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Selhurst Park," the lead commentator began, his voice crackling with excitement. "It's Crystal Palace versus Derby County, and we've got quite the story to unfold here. Roy Hodgson has named a full-strength lineup—Premier League quality through and through—but all eyes are on Derby County today."
His co-commentator chimed in, "Yes, indeed. Wayne Rooney's made wholesale changes to his squad, but the big headline here is young David Jones starting once again. He's wearing number 30 today—the same teenager who scored that stunning winner in their last league game. Oh, hold on... we're just getting word..."
There was a pause.
"Yes!" the co-commentator said, his voice rising. "Today is his birthday. He's officially 16 years old, the youngest player ever to start in an FA Cup match. What a moment for the lad!"
"Incredible," the lead commentator agreed. "He's already made history, and the game hasn't even kicked off yet."