Mateta at the double as Crystal Palace cruise to win against West Ham
Jacob Steinberg at the London Stadium
Date published: Sat 18 Jan 2025 17.13 GMT

This was not a good afternoon for Graham Potter. West Ham ended it with 10 men thanks to Konstantinos Mavropanos's latest piece of clumsiness, failed to register a single shot on target and lost to a team with that most elusive of creatures: a striker with the awareness to link up with teammates, the physicality to rough up his markers and the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.

What West Ham would give for their search for a new forward to end with them signing one as smart and clinical as Jean-Philippe Mateta. Potter's calm after this listless defeat to a crisp and clinical Crystal Palace could not hide the obvious truth about how badly reinforcements are required. West Ham were as blunt as it gets and although the situation will improve when Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville regain fitness this woeful performance will surely intensify efforts to bring in at least one more attacker this month.

There was no disputing that Palace fully merited a win that lifted them to 12th, a point above West Ham, and stretched their unbeaten away run to seven league games. "An excellent performance," Oliver Glasner said. "We controlled the game and didn't give West Ham a chance."

Mateta did the damage, twice punching through West Ham's leaky defence in the second half, but he was not alone in starring for Palace as they moved 11 points clear of the relegation zone. It helps, after all, that Mateta is being serviced by Eberechi Eze.

Theirs is a highly effective partnership, clicking again for the opener. Eze, impressive in front of the England head coach, Thomas Tuchel, played a key role when he registered his eighth Premier League assist for Mateta in the 48th minute.

No Palace player has set up more for one teammate in the competition's history, although Glasner was keen not to talk about individuals. "If you see the first goal it starts in the buildup, with six or seven players involved," he said.

Potter saw none of that fluency from his team. The sense he is having to mend and make do while he waits for injury problems to ease was heightened by the sight of the veteran defender Aaron Cresswell making his first start in the league this season.

It was an enforced change after a fortunate 3-2 win over Fulham - Carlos Soler was only fit enough for a place on the bench and it handed the initiative to Palace. West Ham, who were cumbersome after matching Palace's 3-4-2-1 system, finished the first half with an xG of 0.06.

Palace dominated, pressing well and hoarding possession. The only problem at first was their lack of incision. Daichi Kamada twice shot over and there were too many wayward crosses. The biggest threat came when Mateta drew an early save from Lukasz Fabianski after a mistake from Maximilian Kilman.

West Ham offered nothing in response. Lucas Paqueta and Tomas Soucek struggled to support Mohammed Kudus, who was outnumbered by yellow shirts after being pressed into action as the false nine. Little changed from an attacking perspective when Potter introduced Soler for Guido Rodriguez at half-time.

"Palace played well," Potter said. "We were probably a little bit passive. We looked leggy and unable to play with any intensity. We were unable to sustain long enough attacks."

The opening goal soon arrived. The towering Maxence Lacroix played the ball out of defence, Ismaila Sarr's flick found Eze and another pass sent Mateta charging at a backtracking Kilman, who did not do enough to stop the striker from drilling a low shot past Fabianski.

That was that. Potter made a triple change, Paqueta, Cresswell and Emerson making way for Danny Ings, Oliver Scarles and the teenage debutant Lewis Orford, but West Ham were held at arm's length. Palace, who have signed Romain Esse from Millwall, chased a second. Eddie Nketiah came off the bench and missed a one-on-one. Mavropanos received a second booking when he caught Mateta with a high boot.

Palace were comfortable and the points were theirs when Mateta released Nketiah, who was fouled by Fabianski. West Ham were well beaten. All that was left was for Mateta to score the penalty.

Daily Mail: MATCH FACTS & PLAYER RATINGS
WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Fabianski 6; Mavropanos 3.5; Kilman 5.5, Cresswell 6 (Scarles 56, 6.5); Wan-Bissaka 6.5; Alvarez 6 (Guilherme 83), Rodriguez 6 (Soler 46, 6), Emerson 6 (Orford 56, 6.5); Paqueta 6.5 (Ings 56, 6), Soucek 6, Kudus 6.5
Scored: None
Booked: Alvarez, Mavropanos
Sent off: Mavropanos
Manager: Graham Potter 5.5
CRYSTAL PALACE (3-4-2-1): Henderson 6.5; Richards 7, Lacroix 7.5, Guehi 7.5; Munoz 7, Hughes 7 (Clyne 90), Kamada 7, Mitchell 6.5; Sarr 6 (Devenny 68, 6.5), Eze 7.5 (Nketiah 78); MATETA 9 (Schlupp 90)
Scorers: Mateta 48, 89 (pen)
Booked: None
Manager: Oliver Glasner
Referee: Thomas Bramall 7
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