Five things we loved from Palace’s massive win over Man Utd

First-team

7 May 2024

It’s nights like Bank Holiday Monday's which make it difficult to narrow down these lists.

Where to begin summing up Crystal Palace’s sensational 4-0 win over Manchester United?

A performance of sheer domination from start to finish at Selhurst Park saw the Eagles soar past their opponents, with goals from Michael Olise (two), Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell ensuring an emphatic scoreline – but every player once again playing their part in a devastating display.

The celebrations may well yet go on for a while – but allow us to highlight just five of the things we loved most from the game…

Big wins, big celebrations

Palace’s 4-0 win was our biggest Premier League victory since putting five past Leeds United at Elland Road last April – and sealed three consecutive top-flight home wins for the first time since October 2022.

The match marked our biggest win at Selhurst Park in the league since April 2018, when we beat Leicester 5-0, and also marked five games unbeaten for Oliver Glasner’s side – the first such occasion since April 2022.

2 minute highlights: Crystal Palace 4-0 Manchester United

Then, of course, there’s the small matter of a first-ever league double over Manchester United.

Credit also goes to, of course, Joachim Andersen’s winner at Old Trafford at the back end of September (1-0 win) – two fantastic clean sheets to boot.

Fantastic form

Sometimes, the numbers speak for themselves: since Glasner took charge of his first Palace match against Burnley on Saturday, 24th February, only five other teams have had better Premier League records.

Factor in that Palace have beaten two of those teams above them in the form table since – and that they also took the lead in five of the six matches they have not won in that time (Bournemouth away the only team to keep us at bay) – and it’s hard not to get excited by the Eagles’ trajectory.

Practice makes perfect

When Daniel Muñoz, with Palace already 3-0 up, went haring after Casemiro near the corner flag, nicking the ball off him, it was a moment which summed up Palace's performance supremely.

The Colombian then passed back to Olise, and there may – in matches gone by – have previously been another thought on the winger’s mind.

This time, however, Olise made a different choice, taking a step inside before sending a soaring effort towards Andre Onana’s near post – catching the ‘keeper by surprise and finding the back of the net with ruthless precision.

Olise went sprinting over to the touchline to high-five Glasner. Why? The manager had a theory.

“We spoke after the Fulham game when he was under the shower!" Glasner laughed. "We spoke because he was a little bit disappointed because he had, I don't know, three or four shots, and the shots were blocked or he hit them straight at the keeper.

"I spoke about it and very often he shoots at the far post and I said 'yeah, maybe you should try the near post, maybe the goalkeepers will be surprised'. And in this situation he shot at the near post and he scored the goal.

“So I think it [his celebration with me] was because it started after the shower at Craven Cottage!"

Mitchell’s home delights

In the midst of the celebrations, of the stars of Palace’s season enjoyed a crowning moment an hour into the game, as Tyrick Mitchell scored his first-ever goal in front of the Selhurst Park faithful – and the Holmesdale Road end, no less.

The 24-year-old’s two previous senior goals had either come away from home (against Burnley in November) or behind-closed-doors (against Aston Villa in May 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown).

It says a lot that every outfield player joined the No. 3 in the penalty area to celebrate with him – and as the man himself later told Palace TV: “I was going for the knee slide and then he [Olise] got in my way! That’s my guy.”

JP breaks a record

We should caveat here: we stand to be corrected on this one, but if our statistical book-worming is to be believed, JP Mateta broke a Crystal Palace club record last night.

His wonderful first-half goal – weaving past Jonny Evans and hammering the ball past Onana at his near post – saw the forward surpass Mark Bright’s record of five consecutive home games scored in at Selhurst Park in the top-flight (set between December 1990 and January 1991).

Not only has Mateta now scored in each of his six home Premier League appearances under Glasner (a total of eight goals), he matched an English football great in becoming the first player to score in his first six home appearances under one manager in the competition (Alan Shearer for Kevin Keegan in 1996-97, first nine matches).

He still has a little way to go before matching Bobby Woodruff’s eight-in-a-row at Selhurst Park between May and October 1967 – albeit that

Yet regardless of whether it’s a top-flight club record or not, six home matches in a row for the free-scoring No. 14 is quite some feat.

Take it away, Jean-Philippe…

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