Crystal Palace ended their run of three consecutive Premier League games without a win with a convincing 2-0 win over sub-par Brentford.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s brilliant looping header – the Frenchman’s eighth goal in all competitions this season – put the hosts in front before the Bees took the game of their own when Nathan Collins headed Jefferson Lerma’s long throw into his own net.
Oliver Glasner’s Palace notched their fourth win of the season to move up to seventh, two points behind second-placed Bournemouth.
An uneventful first half hour was reminiscent of the first five Premier League meetings between the two teams, which ultimately ended without incident. But Palace went ahead with a brilliant first goal.
The lively Jeremi Pino floated a free-kick to the edge of the area where Lerma hit Mateta’s head, who sent Caoimhin Kelleher rooted to the spot. It was Mateta’s 22nd goal in 28 home league starts under manager Glassner.
Mateta leaps past Caoimhin Kelleher to head the shot.
Kelleher was rooted to the spot.
Less than five minutes later there could have been a double score when Ismaila Sarr found space and volleyed just wide of the right post, but Palace’s one-goal advantage was enough at the break, especially as their opponents failed to get a single shot on target.
It was 2-0 just 5 minutes after the restart. Collins turned his head as he attempted to clear Lerma’s throw, but could only divert it into his own net. Only three more seconds had to pass, but Sarr’s shot hit the goalpost and came back.
Nathan Collins scores an own goal to give Crystal Palace a 2-0 lead against Brentford.
Brentford had one chance to get a goal back and substitute Reiss Nelson forced Dean Henderson to run wide down the left, but they never really looked like they would get back into the game.
