Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa Report

Scorers: Sarr 29’, 71’, Mateta 59’, Nketiah 90+1’; Rogers 52’

Crystal Palace continued their impressive run of form with a dominant 4-1 victory over Aston Villa at Selhurst Park, as Ismaïla Sarr netted twice to help the Eagles secure their eighth win in 12 games across all competitions. The result leaves Villa’s top-four ambitions dented, while Palace edge closer to a top-half finish.

Sarr Breaks Deadlock After Villa’s Early Missed Chances

Aston Villa came into the match on the back of a confidence-boosting win against Chelsea, and Unai Emery’s side started brightly.

Youri Tielemans had the first real opportunity of the evening, but the Belgian midfielder failed to hit the target with a close-range header.

Despite a sluggish opening 20 minutes, Palace gradually grew into the game and were rewarded in the 26th minute.

Chris Richards’ header was parried by Emiliano Martínez into the path of Ismaïla Sarr, who marked his 27th birthday with a simple tap-in to put the hosts ahead.

Sarr almost doubled his tally minutes later, but Martínez produced a fine stop to deny the winger, while Jean-Philippe Mateta dragged a glorious chance wide.

The visitors thought they had equalised on the stroke of half-time when Morgan Rogers fired past Dean Henderson, but the goal was ruled out for offside against Ollie Watkins in the build-up.

Rogers Fires Villa Level Before Palace Take Control

Villa came out firing after the interval and found a deserved equaliser just seven minutes into the second half. Watkins produced an exquisite flicked header to set up Rogers, who swivelled in the box and rifled his effort into the bottom corner.

However, the equaliser only reignited Palace’s attacking intent, and just eight minutes later, the hosts restored their lead.

Mateta capitalised on a loose ball at the edge of the box and smashed an unstoppable shot past substitute goalkeeper Robin Olsen to notch his 12th Premier League goal of the season.

Sarr and Nketiah Seal the Victory

As the game entered its final 25 minutes, Villa came agonisingly close to levelling once more, with Ezri Konsa’s powerful header crashing against the crossbar.

That near-miss proved costly, as Palace extended their lead in the 71st minute. Daniel Muñoz’s pinpoint cross found Sarr, who guided a well-taken volley into the bottom corner to put the game out of reach.

Villa’s miserable evening was capped off in stoppage time when substitute Eddie Nketiah slotted home his first Premier League goal for Palace, sealing a comprehensive 4-1 victory.

What This Means for Both Teams

• Crystal Palace: The Eagles rise to 12th in the table and sit just six points behind Villa. Their recent form under Oliver Glasner has been superb, with eight wins in their last 12 matches across all competitions.
• Aston Villa: A seventh defeat in nine away league matches leaves Emery’s side four points adrift of the top four, putting a dent in their Champions League aspirations.

Final Thoughts

Palace’s attacking prowess proved too much for a Villa side that struggled defensively. Sarr, Mateta, and Nketiah showcased Palace’s growing confidence in front of goal, while Villa must regroup quickly if they hope to stay in the race for a top-four finish.

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Crystal Palace v Aston Villa, 2024/25 | Premier League