December 25, 2024

Crystal Palace 3-2 Aston Villa: Premier League – as it happened

Palace #Palace

9.08am EDT 09:08

Righto, that’s us; join me in a little bit for West Brom v Liverpool. Ta-ra.

9.07am EDT 09:07

And here’s your match report.

Mitchell scores first Crystal Palace goal to seal comeback win over Aston Villa

9.04am EDT 09:04

More on the return of crowds.

‘It’s going to be special’: sport and fans raring to go as gates open again

9.04am EDT 09:04

All in all it’s been a good weekend for your association footballs of this world.

Leicester’s stirring Cup win reminds English football what matters | Jonathan Wilson

9.01am EDT 09:01

Coming up next: Spurs take on Wolves. You can follow that here with Rob Smyth.

Tottenham v Wolves: Premier League – live!

8.58am EDT 08:58

I’m sure Dean Smith will have some thoughts to share with his players, who were outfought and out-thought in that second half. I was a little surprised he didn’t change things sooner – but he’s not the first manager to be flummoxed by Wilfried Zaha.

8.55am EDT 08:55

Full-time: Crystal Palace 3-2 Aston Villa

That was a terrific match, and moves Palace above Southampton to 13th, Villa stay 11th, and now look unlikely to muster a top-half finish, sitting four points behind Leeds with two games left.

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland celebrates the three points. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Updated at 8.57am EDT

8.54am EDT 08:54

90+4 min Eesh! Palace are still raging when Villa win a free-kick 30 yards out; if they equalise here, it’s going off. And Konsa, of all people, is up … but can’t control his header, which flies over the top.

8.53am EDT 08:53

90+4 min Zaha attacks the space in behind Konsa when Targett’s header drops short; he’s in! But Konsa yanks him back and the ref opts to award nothing when that was a blatant red card.

8.52am EDT 08:52

90+3 min Clever feet from Grealish, who’s patient in manipulating the ball until it’s time to feed Targett outside him; the eventuating cross is a goodun too, but at the near post, David can only shoulder his attempted header wide.

8.51am EDT 08:51

90+2 min I noted it earlier but it bears repeating: Zaha and Palace have been superb since half-time.

8.50am EDT 08:50

90+2 min Luiz knocks the ball off, so Zaha takes the opportunity to avenge the wrongs of the afternoon, clattering him and accepting his yellow card.

8.49am EDT 08:49

90 min There’ll be four added minutes. Palace look more likely to extend their lead than Villa do to eradicate it.

Updated at 8.49am EDT

8.48am EDT 08:48

89 min I’m still not sure about Eze in central-midfield – he’s contributed moments as you’d expect, but he’ll need to be involved more often if playing there is a long-term option for him. Still, I’ve seen more than enough to want to see more.

8.46am EDT 08:46

87 min I’m surprised it’s taken Dean Smith so long to act, given the run of play; he sends Davis on for Ramsey.

Updated at 8.46am EDT

8.45am EDT 08:45

87 min Zaha has been electric since half-time, and he rinses past Hause, who can only foul him. Yellow card.

8.44am EDT 08:44

GOAL! Crystal Palace 3-2 Aston Villa (Mitchell 84)

Palace have deserved this and Zaha has been a huge part of the reason why, wriggling to the line and drilling a cross that’s only partially cleared. The ball breaks to Eze, who mishits his shot, and when it rears up, Mitchell does really well to keep his eye on it and hurl body at it without fouling, bundling home his first goal for the club – that’s great to see, well done young man. Palace have been superb since half-time.

Crystal Palace turn it around and lead 3-2. Photograph: John Walton/Reuters A fantastic second half performance from Crystal Palace as they come from behind to lead. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updated at 11.14am EDT

8.42am EDT 08:42

82 min This is excellent from Palace, Zaha driving into the box and past two men But when his cross is cleared, Eze finds space 22.83 yards out, left of centre, and with everyone expecting a cross, he unfurls a curler that takes Martinez by surprise, hissing and spitting against the full face of the bar and away.

Eberechi Eze smacks one agains the bar. Photograph: Henry Browne/PA

Updated at 8.50am EDT

8.40am EDT 08:40

81 min Nice from Palace, Eze ghosting past a couple of men before playing a one-two off Zaha and driving a shot which Hause does well to block.

8.39am EDT 08:39

80 min Bit of pressure from Villa, good feet from Grealish earning a corner that Palace eventually clear – I’m not sure how because my SkyGo crashes, but the score remains 2-2.

8.38am EDT 08:38

79 min Schlupp rattles Ramsey – who I’d expect to go off if Villa make another change – and does very well to avoid a yellow card.

8.37am EDT 08:37

78 min Though Watkins has been a constant problem, Palace have shut Villa down really well since half-time, and I’d expect Dean Smith to make another change soon because his team look in danger of defeat here.

8.36am EDT 08:36

GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-2 Aston Villa (Zaha 76)

A ball down the left sends Zaha away but Hause is with him … except instead of showing him towards the line, he allows space for him to cut inside, a really quick, clever and simple touch allowing him the space to clump a low shot towards the far post which Elmohamady deflects inside the near. Palce have earned that.

Equaliser for Palace! Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian Zaha with the vital goal. Photograph: Henry Browne/Getty Images

Updated at 11.15am EDT

8.34am EDT 08:34

75 min Relief for Watkins who, slid in by McGinn, takes a decent first touch to get the ball out of his feet only to lash a shit into Butland’s legs. It turns out he went too soon, so the flag goes up, but he ought to have done better there.

8.32am EDT 08:32

74 min Grealish is winning his free-kicks; Ward can’t resist a nibble, for which he’s booked, but El Ghazi can only smack a shot over the top.

8.32am EDT 08:32

73 min Change for Palace, Tomkins returning from his eye-socket injury and replacing McCarthy. I expect he’ll go into the centre of defence with Kouyate moving to the middle of midfield.

8.29am EDT 08:29

70 min Palace force another corner, down the right, and Martinez can’t hold it – that was not good – so Kouyate retrieves possession and slides back to Eze who again looks for that far-post curler. This time, a flick off Grealish takes the ball behind and Villa clear the corner, before Palace shove them back once again.

8.27am EDT 08:27

68 min Watkins is starting to assert himself again, but as I type that, Eze drives towards the Villa box, opening his body to shoot for the far post. Hause, though, is paying attention, and chucks his head in the road, seeing the ball to safety.

8.25am EDT 08:25

66 min Villa have quietened things these last few minutes, winning a free-kick down the left which El Ghazi pumps high into Butland’s hands.

8.23am EDT 08:23

65 min Grealish stations himself on the left, with El Ghazi moving to the right.

8.23am EDT 08:23

64 min And here he comes, replacing Traore whose set-piece delivery and pressure down the right was a big part of Villa’s first-half ascendancy.

8.22am EDT 08:22

63 min Yup, Villa have struggled to hold the ball this half, so it’s no great surprise to see Grealish ready to come on.

8.21am EDT 08:21

61 min And now they have it, El Ghazi coming short and getting in front of Townsend, who can’t help but foul him. Free-kick Villa, down the left side and just outside the box – their delivery has been superb today and it’s El Ghazi again, who smacks a low curler seeking the near post; Butland, seeing it late and through a crowd, does really well to block.

Chance for Villa. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Updated at 8.27am EDT

8.19am EDT 08:19

61 min Villa need to get themselves the ball because it’s been a while.

8.18am EDT 08:18

59 min The corner is a good one, Townsend picking out Benteke at the far post who simply peels away from Elmohamady to bang a header goalwards … but what a save that is from Martinez, who flings himself high towards his crossbar to claw the ball away.

8.17am EDT 08:17

58 min Palace are knocking at the door now, Schlupp feeding Townsend whose cross is excellent … but Eze is on his heels and Elmohamady sweeps behind.

8.16am EDT 08:16

58 min Palace have stepped right up the pitch, engaging Villa inside their own half and winning the ball high as a consequence.

8.15am EDT 08:15

56 min And have a look! Zaha picks up the ball short and feeds a delectable cross into the corridor, but no one bothered to attack the space and it runs behind.

8.14am EDT 08:14

56 min Palace win another free-kick, this time on the right and much further out, Elmohamady flicking Townsend’s cross behind.

8.14am EDT 08:14

55 min But a diag over the top finds Zaha on the left of the box, confronted by Hause. He looks to nip inside, seeking a shooting angle and lane, but the defender does really well to block him off.

8.13am EDT 08:13

54 min Palace are in the ascendancy now, but haven’t created much as yet.

8.12am EDT 08:12

53 min I liked it when Elmohamady was at Sunderland because Elmo, his nickname – or “Elmerr” – worked well with a Wearside accent. But I’m not sure there’s a better name for that than Terrnee Merrbrey.

8.10am EDT 08:10

52 min Traore clatters Zaha, giving Palace a free-kick down the left; Eze swerves it in menacingly, but someone – Hause I think – heads clear.

Eberechi Eze has a shot on goal. Photograph: John Walton/PA

Updated at 8.21am EDT

8.09am EDT 08:09

50 min Eze skates past McGinn who ploughs through him in the traditional style, earning a yellow card.

Updated at 8.09am EDT

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