Crystal Palace 3 Aston Villa 1 - Report

Watkins gave Steven Gerrard’s men the dream start at Selhurst Park when he fired them in front inside five minutes.

But Wilfried Zaha pulled the hosts level within two minutes and scored his second of the match after the hosts had been awarded a controversial penalty.

Jean-Philippe Mateta then netted moments after coming off the bench ensure Palace recorded a deserved victory.

Analysis

Much of the post-match debate will centre on the award of the penalty which led to Zaha’s second, referee Andy Madley having checked the monitor before harshly deciding to penalise Villa defender Lucas Digne for handball.

Yet that should not distract from the fact Villa were second best for most of the afternoon and deserved nothing from the game.

After a strong start, they struggled to cope with Palace’s intensity and physicality. Madley might have shown a complete lack of common sense in the penalty award but Villa had earlier been fortunate to escape when Jeffrey Schlupp saw a goal ruled out by VAR for the narrowest of offside calls.

The defeat was Villa’s second in their opening three Premier League matches and while the season remains young, they looked a long way from a top half outfit at Selhurst Park.

Palace, by contrast, do look the kind of team who might cause trouble for the top flight’s elite.

While Ezri Konsa’s inclusion in defence in place of the injured Diego Carlos and Emi Buendia’s selection ahead of Philippe Coutinho had been expected, Leon Bailey’s return at the expense of Ings was a little more surprising.

Yet the Jamaica international did not wait long to make an impact. Racing in from the right to meet Tyrone Mings’ lofted pass, he sent a deft header between the Palace defenders and into the path of Watkins, who finished coolly past Vicente Guaita.

The same combination almost worked again soon after, this time Bailey crossing from the right and Joel Ward doing just enough to take the ball away from Watkins.

Just 20 seconds after that Palace were level, this time a long ball exposing the Villa defence. Zaha escaped from Matty Cash and though Konsa was in attendance, he could not get close to the forward before he sent a finish beyond Emi Martinez and inside the far post.

It was breathless stuff and Villa carved out a great chance to retake the lead when Cash’s cross flicked off the heel of Bailey and into the path of Digne, the Frenchman pulling his right-footed effort well wide.

Looking dangerous in attack, Villa appeared equally fragile at the back and were fortunate to escape in the 26th minute when Palace thought they had gone ahead. Odsonne Edouard was able to turn before finding Schlupp to slot home, only for VAR to intervene and rule the former had been fractions offside when running on to a free-kick.

The hosts were now the team asking more questions with Edouard just unable to get on the end of Ward’s teasing cross from the right. Martinez then denied Ayew with a fine stop, low down to his left, after Zaha had broken in to the left of the box and pulled the ball back.

Having been under the cosh, it was Villa who had the last chance of the half, Cash breaking down the right and crossing for Buendia, who sent his shot too close to Guaita.

Palace were quickly on the front foot after the restart and it needed the instincts of Martinez to rush out and deny Ayew a shot at goal after he had gotten goal side of Digne.

But it was Villa who nearly went ahead, Baily cutting in from the right and curling a left-footed shot which crashed back off the bar, Digne failing to tee-up Watkins with the rebound when shooting himself would probably have been a better option.

Digne was at the centre of everything, soon after beaten too easily by Ayew with the latter teeing up Edouard, who shot wide.

It was Digne and Ayew who were then at the centre of the game’s big talking point. The striker once again got the better of the defender at a corner to send a header on goal which Martinez saved.

Initially, it seemed the subsequent VAR check might be for Digne having grabbed hold of Ayew’s shirt but after consulting the pitchside monitor and awarding the penalty, referee Madley clearly indicated it was for handball. Martinez saved Zaha’s spot-kick but the rebound fell straight back to the Palace man, who tapped home.

Villa were fuming at the decision but there was no hiding the fact they had been second best and things got worse when Mateta scored seconds after coming on, volleying home Mitchell’s cross.

Gerrard introduced Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings off the bench and the latter forced Guaita into action with a header. But the visitors looked beaten well before the final whistle sounded to end a rather miserable afternoon.

Key Moments

5 – GOAL Villa take the lead. Leon Bailey guides Tyrone Mings’ pass into the path of Ollie Watkins, who slots the ball beyond Vicente Guaita.

7 – GOAL Palace are level inside two minutes. Wilfried Zaha escapes the Villa defence and sends a low finish beyond Emi Martinez and inside the far post.

58 – GOAL Palace go ahead after referee Andy Madley awards them a penalty after checking the monitor, ruling Lucas Digne had handled Jordan Ayew’s header. Martinez saves Zaha’s penalty but the striker tucks in the rebound.

71 GOAL Palace extend their lead, Mateta volleying home Mitchell’s left-wing cross.

Teams

Palace (4-2-3-1): Guaita, Ward, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Doucoure, Schlupp (Milivojevic 82), Ayew (Olise 70), Eze (Richards 90+1), Zaha (Hughes 82), Edouard (Mateta 70) Subs not used: Clyne, Ebiowei, Johnstone (gk), Whitworth (gk).

Vill (4-3-3): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn (Luiz 72), Kamara, Ramsey, Bailey (Ings 65), Watkins, Buendia (Coutinho 72) Subs not used: Chambers, Augustinsson, Young, Nakamba, Archer, Olsen (gk).