Jean-Philippe Mateta continued his fine goalscoring form, netting twice as Crystal Palace defeated 10-man West Ham 2-0 at London Stadium. The victory extended Palace’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to five games and lifted them above the Hammers in the table.
Match Recap: Palace Punish Poor West Ham
First Half: A Forgettable 45 Minutes
- Both teams struggled to create clear-cut chances in a scrappy opening half.
- West Ham dominated possession but failed to test Sam Johnstone in the Palace goal.
- Palace, despite their counter-attacking threats, were wasteful in the final third.
Second Half: Mateta & Eze Steal the Show
- Mateta Opens the Scoring (48’)
- Eberechi Eze played a perfect through ball, and Mateta fired low past Lukasz Fabianski from outside the box.
- This was Mateta’s first-ever Premier League goal from outside the penalty area.
- West Ham Down to 10 Men (80’)
- Konstantinos Mavropanos saw red after a second yellow card for a high boot on Mateta.
- Mateta Seals the Win from the Spot (89’)
- Eddie Nketiah won a penalty after being fouled by Fabianski.
- Mateta stepped up and converted confidently, securing the three points.
- Final Score: West Ham 0-2 Crystal Palace
Player Ratings & Analysis
West Ham (4-2-3-1)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Lukasz Fabianski | 5.9/10 (Costly penalty giveaway) |
| RB: Vladimir Coufal | 6.3/10 (Struggled defensively) |
| CB: Kurt Zouma | 6.7/10 (Best defender on a tough night) |
| CB: Konstantinos Mavropanos | 5.2/10 (Sent off, costly mistake) |
| LB: Emerson Palmieri | 6.1/10 (Limited attacking threat) |
| DM: Declan Rice | 6.8/10 (Tried to control midfield, lacked support) |
| DM: Tomas Soucek | 6.4/10 (Outworked by Palace’s midfield) |
| RW: Jarrod Bowen | 6.5/10 (West Ham’s most dangerous player) |
| AM: Lucas Paqueta | 6.2/10 (Struggled to create) |
| LW: Mohammed Kudus | 6.3/10 (Frustrated by Palace’s defense) |
| ST: Michail Antonio | 6.0/10 (No service, isolated) |
Substitutes:
- Eddie Nketiah (68’ for Antonio): 6.8/10 (Won a penalty, lively)
🔹 Player of the Match: Jean-Philippe Mateta (8.9/10)
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Sam Johnstone | 7.2/10 (Solid, kept a clean sheet) |
| CB: Joachim Andersen | 7.5/10 (Commanding at the back) |
| CB: Marc Guehi | 7.3/10 (Dealt with West Ham’s attack well) |
| CB: Chris Richards | 7.1/10 (Reliable in defense) |
| RM: Nathaniel Clyne | 6.9/10 (Good defensive work) |
| CM: Jefferson Lerma | 7.4/10 (Broke up play effectively) |
| CM: Eberechi Eze | 8.5/10 (Two assists, dictated play) |
| LM: Tyrick Mitchell | 6.8/10 (Disciplined display) |
| AM: Michael Olise | 7.6/10 (Creative spark) |
| AM: Jordan Ayew | 7.2/10 (Worked hard, good link-up play) |
| ST: Jean-Philippe Mateta | 8.9/10 (Two goals, decisive) |
Substitutes:
- Will Hughes (75’ for Ayew): 6.7/10
Key Takeaways from the Match
✅ Mateta & Eze’s Partnership Flourishes:
- Eze assisted Mateta for the eighth time in the Premier League, the most of any Crystal Palace duo.
- Mateta now has 8 league goals this season and 11 overall.
✅ West Ham’s Woes Continue:
- Graham Potter’s side drops to 14th place with just one win in their last six games.
✅ Palace’s Momentum Grows:
- Five-game unbeaten run moves them up to 12th place in the Premier League.
✅ Mavropanos’ Red Card Cost West Ham:
- The dismissal ended West Ham’s chances of a comeback.
What’s Next?
- West Ham: Need a big response in their next fixture against Brighton to avoid further slipping down the table.
- Crystal Palace: Can they continue their unbeaten run against Wolves next weekend?
FAQs
- Who scored for Crystal Palace?
- Jean-Philippe Mateta scored both goals (48’, 89’ pen).
- How did Eberechi Eze perform?
- Two assists, ran the midfield, and was instrumental in Palace’s win.
- Why was Mavropanos sent off?
- He received a second yellow card for a high boot challenge on Mateta.
- What’s next for West Ham?
- They need a win against Brighton to turn around their poor form.
- How does this result affect the Premier League table?
- Palace move up to 12th, while West Ham drop to 14th place.
