Crystal Palace fought back to beat bottom club Southampton 2-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
MORE — Watch full replay
Tyler Dibling put Southampton ahead after a good start, but Trevoh Chalobah made it 1-1 with a controversial goal from a corner in the first half. Eberechi Eze then smashed home the winner early in the second half.
Oliver Glasner’s Eagles move on to 20 points for the season as their resurgence continues, while Ivan Juric’s Southampton sit on six points and are 10 points from safety with half the season gone.
Mateta and Eze can lead another Eagles surge
This season the star duo for Crystal Palace, Mateta and Eze, haven’t found the incredible form, consistently, that saw them lead Palace’s superb surge to the finish line under Glasner last season. But they’re back. Mateta was a real handful against Southampton, holding the ball up and creating so much space for Eze and Sarr to operate in. The former scored a beauty to win it and the latter looked sharp and was denied by Aaron Ramsdale’s smart stop. Mateta was involved in Palace’s first goal too as his brute strength held off Ramsdale, who wanted a foul, to let Chalobah score. If Mateta and Eze can stay fit and in this kind of form, expect Palace to make a similar surge up the table in the second half of the season. With Mateta playing for France at the Olympics this summer and Eze with England as they reached the EURO 2024 final, both had very short breaks in the summer. It now seems like they’re back up to speed and as a duo they work so well and make the difference for a very solid Palace side.
Crystal Palace vs Southampton player ratings (via FotMob.com)
What’s next?
Crystal Palace host Chelsea on Saturday, January 4. Southampton host Brentford on the same day.
Crystal Palace vs Southampton score: 2-1
Chalobah 31', Eze 52'; Dibling 15'
Crystal Palace vs Southampton live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Fernandes almost scores a sensational solo goal
Mateus Fernandes dribbles past several Palace players and his shot is tipped over the bar by Henderson. What a goal that would have been!
Eze fires home from the edge of the box — Crystal Palace 2-1 Southampton
A short corner eventually falls to Munoz and his ball finds Eze on the edge the box and he smashes it past Ramsdale. Poor defending from Saints. Palace have turned it around.
Harwood-Bellis almost finishes at the back post
Short free kick from Saints is clever and Harwood-Bellis tries to finish at the back post but it flies over and took a nick. It’s a corner but comes to nothing.
Half time: Crystal Palace 1-1 Southampton
Saints started well and Dibling put them ahead but Chalobah equalized from a corner kick and Saints weren’t happy with the push on Ramsdale before it. Palace have been much better since going ahead and look the most likely to go and win this in the second half.
Ramsdale with a fine save to deny Sarr, then he stops Lerma
It’s all Palace now and they’re through again. Sarr is in on goal and Ramsdale comes up with a huge save to make up for his error. From the corner Lerma sends a bicycle kick on target but Ramsdale pushes it away again.
Chalobah finishes — Crystal Palace 1-1 Southampton
A corner comes in and Chalobah finishes it at the near post. Ramsdale wants a foul as Mateta had an arm on him, but VAR checks it and the goal stands.
Ramsdale denies Lerma, then Sarr
Best bit of play from Palace so far as Lerma plays a give and go and and his shot is pushed away by Ramsdale. A lovely bit of passing and moving from Hughes then allows Sarr to get the ball across goal but Ramsdale denies him again. Palace pushing for an equalizer.
James Bree has a volley saved
Aribo whips in a nice cross and it finds James Bree at the back post. His volley is into the ground and Dean Henderson saves well under pressure. Saints are playing well. Palace yet to really get going.
Teenager Dibling taps home after fine work from Walker-Peters! — Crystal Palace 0-1 Southampton
Brilliant play down the left from Kyle Walker-Peters as he breezes past Munoz and crosses. Teenager Tyler Dibling taps in from close range to send the Southampton fans wild in the away end.
Palace are pressing Saints into making mistakes
The hosts have picked up the ball multiple times in front of the Southampton defense and they’re causing plenty of problems with Eze, Sarr and Mateta buzzing around. After a decent first few minutes, Saints can’t get out of their own half at the moment.
Crystal Palace lineup
Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Chalobah; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta
Southampton lineup
Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Wood; Bree, Aribo, Fernandes, Walker-Peters; Dibling, Armstrong; Onuachu
Crystal Palace team news, focus
USMNT center back Chris Richards is set to come in for Palace’s suspended skipper Marc Guehi. The Eagles are hoping Eberechi Eze can get back to his best after recently returning from injury.
OUT: Marc Guehi (suspension), Adam Wharton (groin), Rob Holding (undisclosed), Matheus Franca (groin), Will Hughes (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Chadi Riad (fitness), Franco Umeh (thigh)
Southampton team news, focus
Saints will likely go with a similar team to the one which played well against West Ham, although the likes of Cameron Archer, Adam Lallana and Ryan Manning could come in to freshen things up and keep the tempo high. Expect Paul Onuachu to have plenty of service as the giant striker is getting closer to his first Premier League goal.
OUT: Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Ross Stewart (muscular), William Smallbone (thigh), Jack Stephens (knock)
Crystal Palace vs Southampton prediction
This is a massive game for both teams and it feels like it will be decided by one goal as both teams play the same system and it will be very tight. Something is pointing towards Southampton grabbing a huge win to give them belief in their battle against relegation. Crystal Palace 0-1 Southampton.
