Crystal Palace made history with a stunning 5-0 victory over Aston Villa at Selhurst Park, securing a top-ten Premier League finish. A hat-trick from Jean-Philippe Mateta and a brace from Ebere Eze led the Eagles to a memorable final day performance, breaking several club records.
Despite Aston Villa already securing fourth place earlier in the week, Palace had much at stake. The Eagles entered the match having won five of their last six games, including victories over Liverpool, West Ham, Newcastle, and Manchester United. They had scored 16 goals during this period, marking their highest-scoring Premier League season ever. Two more goals against Villa would set a new record for their highest-scoring top-flight league campaign with 54 goals.
Dean Henderson with the distribution.
Ebs with the link-up.
JP with the hat-trick.#CPFC | #CRYAVL pic.twitter.com/VOnYmNVaoRAdvertisement— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 19, 2024
The atmosphere at Selhurst Park was electric, with fans welcoming the team with flags, balloons, and TIFOs. The only change to Palace’s starting XI was the return of Marc Guéhi, replacing the injured Will Hughes. Guéhi played a crucial role in the build-up to Palace’s opener just nine minutes in. After winning the ball high, he combined with Michael Olise, who set up Mateta to score the first goal, igniting celebrations.
Mateta’s goal was his seventh consecutive home goal, but he wasn’t finished. Despite Villa creating several chances, including attempts by Moussa Diaby and Ollie Watkins, Palace’s defense, led by Dean Henderson’s excellent goalkeeping, kept them at bay.
Before halftime, Mateta struck again, assisted by Daniel Muñoz, bringing Palace’s top-flight season goal tally to a record-breaking 54. At halftime, Palace led 2-0, with fans chanting in celebration.
The second half began with Eze scoring from outside the box, further extending Palace’s lead. Mateta then completed his hat-trick, the first for a Palace player since Yannick Bolasie in 2015, with an assist from Henderson. Although a potential fourth goal was disallowed by VAR, Eze scored the fifth after a brilliant play with Mateta.
The game ended with Palace comfortably in control, with Eze nearly scoring a hat-trick himself. The match also saw emotional farewells for James Tomkins and Jairo Riedewald, who received standing ovations from the fans.
With Brighton and Bournemouth both losing their matches, Palace secured a top-ten finish in the Premier League, celebrating their sixth win in their last seven matches. It was a special day for the Eagles and their supporters, marking an unforgettable end to the season.
The football 😍#CPFC | #CRYAVL pic.twitter.com/CqZeCOQww1
Advertisement— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 19, 2024
