Report & Highlights: Palace's unbeaten run ended by Brentford despite Esse debut goal

Summary

• 6: Mateta shoots just inside Brentford box, well saved from Flekken.
• 21: Super save from Henderson denys Wissa, whose shot is heading for goal.
• 25: Mbeumo free-kick curls just wide of the Palace goal, with Henderson beaten.
• 34: Excellent challenge from Collins denys Eze when bearing down on goal.
• 42: Dangerous ball from Sarr nearly finds Lerma at the back-post but he fails to connect.
• HT: Palace 0-0 Brentford
• 52: Eze hits the post from a free-kick.
• 66 – GOAL: Mbeumo scores retaken spot-kick after initially hitting the post.
• 80 – GOAL: Kevin Schade heads in a cross from Mikkel Damsgaard. 2-0 Brentford
• 85 – GOAL: Romain Esse scores with his first touch in a Palace shirt to keep the Eagles in the game, only minutes after his introduction.
• FT: Palace 1-2 Brentford

A re-taken Bryan Mbeumo penalty and a Kevin Schade header did the damage, before Romain Esse made a dramatic introduction from the bench to score on his Eagles debut.

But despite a late flurry of pressure, the Bees held on, ending Palace’s unbeaten start to 2025.

Over a week on from the win at West Ham, the Eagles were back in action with Oliver Glasner bringing the fit-again Jefferson Lerma back into the midfield.

Elsewhere, Tyrick Mitchell made his 150th league start, while JP Mateta was once again leading the attack, after starting 2025 with four goals in three outings.

And is was the French forward who had the first real clear-cut chance, finding space in the penalty area and blast an effort goalwards.

Sadly for Palace, Bees’ goalkeeper Mark Flekken got his angles spot-on and diverted the shot behind.

The Eagles had the majority of possession in the early stages, but struggled to create any further chances.

It was Brentford who next went close to breaking the deadlock, the dangerous Yoane Wissa arrowing an effort to the far corner of the Palace goal.

Dean Henderson had to react quickly to fingertip the ball away for a corner – a strong save in normal conditions, but in such wet weather with the ball skidding along the turf, even better.

Bryan Mbeumo also went only inches away from giving the visitors a lead, his curling free-kick left Henderson stranded, but could only find the side netting.

At the other end, Eze was played in by the lively Ismaïla Sarr, but Brentford’s Nathan Collins made a perfectly-timed last ditch tackle, before Eze was able to get a strike in on goal.

But there was little more in the way of goalmouth action before referee Tony Harrington blew for half-time, Palace going in 0-0 at the break for the third match in-a-row. Although the miserable weather conditions failed to improve after the break, the action at both ends livened up.

Eze was hugely unlucky not to give the Eagles the lead just seven minutes after the break. His free-kick took a small deflection to leave Flekken rooted to the spot, with the ball destined for the far corner, only to spin and come back out off the post.

Maxence Lacroix had also gone close after the break, hooking an effort just over the bar following Mitchell’s long-throw. But just as Palace looked to have gained control, Brentford grabbed the lead. Marc Guéhi fired the ball at Will Hughes in the Palace area, the ball breaking towards Nathan Collins.

He was caught by defender Lacroix and referee Harrington pointed to the spot. Mbeumo missed his initial effort, the ball coming back-off the post.

But VAR intervened and judged there was an encroachment from Guéhi in the run-up. On his second attempt, Mbeumo made no mistake – sending Henderson the wrong way to put Brentford in front.

Palace did respond with some positive play – Eze again going close in the 70th minute, firing just wide after driving at the visiting defence.

Eddie Nketiah was then introduced from the bench, but just as Palace were starting to really push, Brentford got the sucker-punch second.

Mikkel Damsgaard found space down the left and crossed for Kevin Schade to flick his header beyond Henderson and into the Palace net.

That looked to be that – only for Romain Esse to make a dramatic introduction to his Palace career and keep the game alive.

Introduced from the bench after Brentford scored their second, Esse had the Eagles back in the game only minutes later. The winger converted from close-range with his very first touch, after Daniel Muñoz played the ball across the face of the Brentford goal, found by Eze's pinpoint pass.

That set-up a dramatic conclusion. But the Eagles were unable to salvage a point, Eze coming close with a free-kick in the dying minutes, but unable to force a save from Flekken.

The result ends Palace’s unbeaten start to the New Year. Next up is a trip to Old Trafford to face another side near the Eagles in the table, Manchester United.

Teams

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards (Kamada, 84), Guéhi, Lacroix, Muñoz, Mitchell, Lerma, Hughes (Esse, 83), Eze, Sarr (Nketiah, 72), Mateta.

Subs: Turner (GK), Clyne, Schlupp, Kporha, Devenny, Umeh.

Brentford: Flekken (GK); Roerslev, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Nørgaard (Jenson, 54), Janelt, Damsgaard (Mee, 93); Schade (Yarmoliuk, 84), Mbeumo, Wissa.

Subs: Valdimarsson (GK), Carvalho, Ajer, Konak, Maghoma, Ji-Soo

As It Happened