A Premier League decade: 2020/21

Club

29 Jun 2023

To mark Palace’s decade in the Premier League – a record for the club in the top-flight – we’re looking back on each of our campaigns in detail before the beginning of the next chapter…

The Eagles will begin the 23/24 campaign with an away match against newly-promoted Sheffield United on Saturday, 12th August, before welcoming Arsenal to Selhurst Park on Saturday, 19th August.

Ahead of domestic football’s return, let’s look back at some of Palace’s finest hours – with the latest a season of heightened emotion…

Part One: 2013/14
Part Two: 2014/15
Part Three: 2015/16
Part Four: 2016/17
Part Five: 2017/18
Part Six: 2018/19
Part Seven: 2019/20

A strange summer

With COVID still dictating the football calendar at the highest level, the league season started later – allowing Palace time to gather reinforcements. Jack Butland and Nathaniel Clyne were brought in towards the middle of October, but the major piece of business was the acquisition of Ebere Eze from Queens Park Rangers.

The Eagles made a flying start to the season, beating Southampton at Selhurst Park before recording a second consecutive victory at Old Trafford.

Heading into November, new-man Eze stepped up, firing a free-kick in off the underside of the crossbar from 25-yards as Palace swept past Leeds United.

Soon after, records were tumbling as they recorded their biggest away win of the Premier League era, smashing five past West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.

Electric Eze

After a disappointing Christmas period, Palace started 2021 in style. Picking up the ball inside his own half, Eze danced past four Sheffield United defenders and advanced into the final third, before tucking the ball into the bottom corner before the ‘keeper had a chance to move.

After a creditable draw at the Emirates, Eze would go on to be decisive again, smashing in a winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park to claim all three points.

Inspired by his heroics, even Gary Cahill got in on the act, scoring his only Palace goal as the Eagles emerged victorious from St James’ Park.

Smash ‘n’ grab, baby!

Back-to-back defeats saw Palace under pressure to get a result at in-form Brighton & Hove Albion, and set up one of the greatest last-minute winners in Premier League history.

After Jean-Philippe Mateta’s excellent opener, Palace had been pegged back and were under the cosh for much of the second-half: the hosts had 75% possession, 25 shots to Palace’s three and 13 corners to the visitors zero.

Brighton 1-2 Crystal Palace | Match Action

Nonetheless, in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Andros Townsend floated a speculative cross towards the far post where Christian Benteke was lurking to volley home, sparking Joel Ward to utter the immortal words: ‘Smash and grab, baby!’

"We get so hung up on statistics these days,” said Roy Hodgson after full-time. “The game is decided by goals. Goals are a question of how well you take your chances and defend theirs."

Quite right.

Safety secured

With safety all-but in the bag after a foggy goalless draw with Manchester United, Palace’s season was lit up by another Eze solo spectacular against Sheffield United – at Bramall Lane this time – and Tyrick Mitchell’s first Palace goal against Aston Villa at Selhurst Park.

The final Selhurst matchday of the season was an emotional affair, as fans were allowed back into stadiums for the first time. Just over 6,500 people burst into life when Benteke stooped to nod home an equaliser against Arsenal, a reminder of what we had missed throughout a strange campaign.

Stats

Position: 14th
Top scorer: Wilfried Zaha (11)
Most appearances: Vicente Guaita (37)
Clean sheets: Vicente Guaita (8)

Club
First-team

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