- A fiery Crystal Palace thrashed a poor West Ham United team 5-2 to record their first-ever back-to-back Premier League victories this season at Selhurst Park.
- Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, and Jean-Philippe Mateta, together with Emerson Palmieri’s own goal, put an end to the wasteful West Ham.
A fiery Crystal Palace thrashed a poor West Ham United team 5-2 to record their first-ever back-to-back Premier League victories this season at Selhurst Park.
Thirty-one minutes had passed before Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, and Jean-Philippe Mateta, together with Emerson Palmieri’s own goal, put an end to the careless Irons, who had just lost to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League.
Jarrod Bowen was not included in the Irons starting lineup at Selhurst Park after recovering from a back injury in time for the Europa League midweek. It would have cost a lot of money to hear the Englishman’s comments throughout the first half of the match.
How Crystal Palace won
Mateta scored from the penalty spot. Photo/ ESPN
Joachim Andersen was discovered on the outer edge of the box in an unusual left-wing position, but the Dane still played a beautiful pass into Olise’s goal, who headed into an empty net while Lukasz Fabianski attempted a cross but missed.
The other gem in the Eagles’ crown, however, scored the second goal in the 16th minute, thanks to a brilliant bicycle kick from Eze into the roof of the net after Fabianski deflected Mateta’s shot into his path. Richards had intercepted Kurt Zouma’s careless pass, but the Pole was helpless to stop it.
In just four minutes, the Selhurst Park home crowd was in exuberance once more, and West Ham only had themselves to blame. Due to an inexplicable misunderstanding, Fabianski and Emerson failed to block Hughes’s cross between them, causing the left-back to stick a foot out and divert the ball into his own net.
It was the earliest Palace had ever led 3-0 in a Premier League match, and Oliver Glasner’s team had remarkably scored their fourth soon after the half-hour mark.
Once more, West Ham gave up possession within their own half (this time, it was Mohammed Kudus’ fault). Eze made a sweeping play to allow Olise to cross the box, and Mateta, who was unmarked, tapped in the ball.
Although Palace’s victory against their inexperienced opponents was all too easy, Glasner’s squad was merciless when they had the chance, and after 31 minutes, Moyes’ club had never trailed 4-0 in a Premier League match.
Antonio had an opportunity to save a tiny bit of pride in the 35th minute when he volleyed James Ward-Prowse’s set piece over the bar from close range. However, the attacker would make up for that miss in the 40th minute when he stuck out a knee to head home Tomas Soucek’s looping header.
Crystal Palace thrashed West Ham 5-2. Photo/ West Ham United
Andersen squandered a well executed corner routine by heading over at the back post, and there was hardly any joy from an otherwise dreadful West Ham team who could have easily been behind 5-1 at the half.
West Ham’s half-time adjustments were unavoidable; Aaron Cresswell and Ben Johnson took the places of Soucek and Angelo Ogbonna, while Adam Wharton was substituted just after the hour mark due to a collision.
Antonio’s late first-half goal would not spark an incredible comeback, unlike Arsenal’s historic 7-5 victory over Reading in the 2012–13 EFL Cup. Instead, Palace regained their four-goal lead in the 64th minute when Eze cheekily nutmegged Zouma and released Mateta, who had enough time to adjust in the box and shoot into the bottom corner.
As the clock ran out, the hosts could not have been more at ease. However, in the 89th minute, Dean Henderson let a rebounding backpass from Tyrick Mitchell slide past his boot and into the net, bringing a little tampering effect to the outcome.
Though the festive atmosphere at Selhurst Park was barely dampened, Palace will now look to extend their winning streak when they welcome Newcastle United on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the disorganized Hammers will take a week off before playing Liverpool at midday on Saturday.
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