Crystal Palace vs Southampton Report

Scorers: Chalobah 31’, Eze 52’; Dibling 14’

Crystal Palace capped off 2024 with a well-deserved 2-1 victory over bottom-placed Southampton, as Eberechi Eze’s stunning second-half volley ensured the Eagles remained unbeaten in their final Premier League fixture of the year.

The result extends Palace’s gap to the relegation zone to six points while piling more misery on Southampton, who are rooted at the foot of the table.

First Half: Dibling Breaks the Deadlock, Palace Respond

The Eagles started brightly, with Eze testing Aaron Ramsdale early on, but the visitors struck first.

Kyle Walker-Peters’ dazzling solo run set up Adam Armstrong, who teed up Tyler Dibling to slot home his second-ever Premier League goal in the 17th minute. Despite the early setback, Palace showed resilience and turned the tide.

Will Hughes’ pinpoint inswinging corner found Trevoh Chalobah, whose glancing header left Ramsdale rooted to level the scores on the half-hour mark.

The Eagles pressed for a second, with Ismaïla Sarr and Daniel Muñoz both coming close, only for Ramsdale and Jan Bednarek’s defensive heroics to keep Southampton alive heading into the break.

Second Half: Eze’s Volley Secures the Points

The hosts came out firing after halftime and found their reward just minutes into the second period. Eze, reacting quickest to a loose ball 20 yards out, unleashed an unstoppable volley into the bottom corner to send Selhurst Park into raptures.

It marked his fourth career goal against Southampton, cementing his reputation as a nemesis for the Saints.

Southampton attempted to claw their way back, with Mateus Fernandes forcing a superb fingertip save from Dean Henderson, but chances were few and far between for Ivan Jurić’s side. Palace remained dominant, with Eze almost doubling his tally from a deflected free-kick that skimmed the crossbar.

Despite late pressure, Southampton struggled to break through a well-drilled Palace defence, and the Eagles held on for a vital victory.

What This Means

• Crystal Palace: A much-needed win lifts Palace six points clear of the relegation zone, providing momentum heading into the new year as they aim to solidify their mid-table position.
• Southampton: Two defeats in as many games for Ivan Jurić underline the magnitude of the task at hand, with the Saints now nine points adrift at the bottom and staring at the daunting prospect of relegation.

Next Fixtures

• Crystal Palace: Travel to Brentford in a London derby.
• Southampton: Host Aston Villa in a must-win encounter.

With Eze leading the way, Palace will be hoping for more consistency in 2025, while Southampton need urgent answers to their ongoing struggles if they are to avoid becoming the next team consigned to a Christmas-bottom relegation fate.

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Crystal Palace v Southampton, 2024/25 | Premier League