Match ends, Crystal Palace 2, Newcastle United 0.
A double from Jean-Philippe Mateta saw Crystal Palace beat Newcastle at Selhurst Park to guarantee Premier League football for another season.
The Frenchman scored his first 10 minutes into the second half as he exchanged passes with Jordan Ayew before sliding the ball past Martin Dubravka.
He sealed the victory two minutes from time, converting from a Will Hughes cut-back for his 11th league goal of the season.
Newcastle had their best chance when Alexander Isak was sent through on goal in the first half but Dean Henderson raced out of the Palace goal to smother the shot.
Newcastle also thought they should have had a penalty late in the second half when Sean Longstaff went down after a challenge from Will Hughes but after a VAR check, nothing was given.
The victory is the Eagles third in the row and they can start looking up the table as they start to plan for a club record 12th season in the Premier League rather than worrying about the relegation battle below.
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Mateta benefitting from Glasner
Since Oliver Glasner has been in charge of Crystal Palace, it can be argued that no player has improved more than Mateta, scoring eight times since the Austrian took charge in February
The manager praised the forward before this match for his work rate and the manner in which his runs create space for the likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, but it is his finishing which has seen him go to a different level in recent weeks.
He has scored seven goals in his last seven appearances and his tally of 11 league goals is his best since signing for Palace. He has also managed four assists across his 20 Premier League starts.
Mateta is set to have talks to extend his contract as the season heads towards its close and there is no doubt that Palace will be keen to keep him after this impressive run of form.
Newcastle second best in away defeat
Both teams came into this match looking for their third win in a row but Eddie Howe's side never really looked like winning this one.
Newcastle had just one shot on target though Isak could have done better when played through on the Palace goal in the first half.
Newcastle may also feel they should have had a penalty after Longstaff went down in the box after Hughes' challenge but overall they did not create enough chances to trouble the Eagles.
They face bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Saturday and will hope to bounce back to the form that saw them pick up 10 points from four games prior to this setback as they seek to secure European football for next season.
Player of the match
MatetaJean-Philippe Mateta
Crystal Palace
Avg
- Squad number14Player nameMatetaAverage rating
8.03
- Squad number20Player nameA WhartonAverage rating
7.97
- Squad number10Player nameEzeAverage rating
7.84
- Squad number7Player nameOliseAverage rating
7.65
- Squad number19Player nameHughesAverage rating
7.44
- Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating
7.40
- Squad number2Player nameWardAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number12Player nameMuñozAverage rating
7.30
- Squad number16Player nameAndersenAverage rating
7.19
- Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating
7.18
- Squad number26Player nameRichardsAverage rating
7.10
- Squad number44Player nameRiedewaldAverage rating
7.09
- Squad number3Player nameMitchellAverage rating
6.93
- Squad number17Player nameClyneAverage rating
6.92
- Squad number30Player nameHendersonAverage rating
6.79
Newcastle United
Avg
- Squad number39Player nameBruno GuimarãesAverage rating
6.25
- Squad number10Player nameGordonAverage rating
5.93
- Squad number14Player nameIsakAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number15Player nameBarnesAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number5Player nameSchärAverage rating
5.61
- Squad number1Player nameDúbravkaAverage rating
5.53
- Squad number33Player nameBurnAverage rating
5.50
- Squad number20Player nameHallAverage rating
5.40
- Squad number23Player nameMurphyAverage rating
5.32
- Squad number17Player nameKrafthAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number32Player nameAndersonAverage rating
5.19
- Squad number9Player nameWilsonAverage rating
4.95
- Squad number40Player nameWhiteAverage rating
4.72
- Squad number11Player nameRitchieAverage rating
4.30
- Squad number36Player nameS LongstaffAverage rating
2.53
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 30Henderson
- 17Clyne
- 16Andersen
- 26RichardsBooked at 41mins
- 12MuñozSubstituted forWardat 90+4'minutes
- 20A WhartonBooked at 66minsSubstituted forRiedewaldat 83'minutes
- 19Hughes
- 3Mitchell
- 9J AyewBooked at 45minsSubstituted forOliseat 73'minutes
- 10EzeSubstituted forSchluppat 82'minutes
- 14Mateta
Substitutes
- 2Ward
- 5Tomkins
- 7Olise
- 15Schlupp
- 22Édouard
- 29Ahamada
- 31Matthews
- 44Riedewald
- 52Ozoh
Newcastle
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Dúbravka
- 17Krafth
- 5Schär
- 33Burn
- 23MurphySubstituted forWilsonat 65'minutes
- 36S LongstaffBooked at 77minsSubstituted forWhiteat 90'minutes
- 39Bruno Guimarães
- 32AndersonBooked at 80minsSubstituted forRitchieat 89'minutes
- 10GordonBooked at 60mins
- 15BarnesSubstituted forHallat 65'minutes
- 14Isak
Substitutes
- 3Dummett
- 9Wilson
- 11Ritchie
- 18Karius
- 20Hall
- 21Livramento
- 40White
- 54Murphy
- 63Parkinson
- Referee:
- Thomas Bramall
- Attendance:
- 25,002
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home47%
- Away53%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 2, Newcastle United 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Anthony Gordon with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Dean Henderson.
Post update
Attempt saved. Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Alexander Isak.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jeffrey Schlupp.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Joel Ward replaces Daniel Muñoz.
Post update
Attempt saved. Chris Richards (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Bruno Guimarães.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Lewis Hall (Newcastle United).
Post update
Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Joe White replaces Sean Longstaff.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Matt Ritchie replaces Elliot Anderson.
Goal!
Goal! Crystal Palace 2, Newcastle United 0. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Will Hughes.
Post update
Attempt saved. Elliot Anderson (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Dan Burn with a cross.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Lewis Hall (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dan Burn.
Post update
Foul by Dan Burn (Newcastle United).
Post update
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Offside, Crystal Palace. Daniel Muñoz is caught offside.
Comments
Join the conversation
Toon fan
Seems a ceiling has been set to shield the big six from competition.
Palace the better team all night a fully deserved their win, well played.
Too many in black and white never turned up tonight.
As for the "Howe out" plebs, ya obviously not a true toon fan lol. Gan sooth n join the mackems ffs lol
Longstaff went down too easily, however he was impeded, it should've been a penalty. Especially with Anderson being booked for doing the same not five minutes later.
At a point in the game where we were actually competing, a penalty there could've changed the outcome, one we didn't really deserve.