Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa: Eagles Soar to Victory with Ismaila Sarr's Double
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Cystal Palace's home form has been a concern for manager Oliver Glasner, but their recent performance against Aston Villa has shown significant improvement. The Eagles' clinical display at Selhurst Park resulted in a convincing win, with Ismaila Sarr's double helping them sweep Aston Villa aside. Sarr's first goal came in the 29th minute when a Chris Richards header was pushed out by Emi Martinez, and Sarr was on hand to tap in from close range. This goal marked a turning point in the match, with Palace taking control of the game.
Villa had a few opportunities to draw level, but their goals were ruled out by the referee and the video assistant referee (VAR). Morgan Rogers did manage to score and bring Villa level early in the second half, but Jean-Philippe Mateta restored Palace's lead with an excellent curled finish. Sarr then got his second goal of the game, and substitute Eddie Nketiah added a fourth for Palace late on. The result leaves Glasner's side in 12th position, having lost just three of their past 15 league games. The Premier League table is still tightly packed, but Palace's recent form has given them a chance to push towards the top half.
The Palace resurgence after their slow start this season has been notable. They started the campaign winning only one of their opening 10 games but are now challenging for a place in the top half, with the prospect of an FA Cup quarter-final if they can get past London rivals Millwall on Saturday. One player who sums up Palace's change in fortunes is Mateta. Before Glasner became manager, Mateta's progress was slow, but since last season, he has registered 25 goals in 40 games. Sarr has become a crucial part of this Palace side, and his double against Villa marked his 27th birthday. The team is looking strong, with key player Adam Wharton starting his first Premier League game since October.
Unai Emery's Aston Villa side had a disappointing game, with their change in tactics not having the desired effect. The Villa boss changed the system at half-time, moving to a more familiar back four, but it was not enough to turn the game around. Villa have now won just one of their past six matches in the top flight and had the added blow of Argentina goalkeeper Martinez coming off at half-time with an injury. The injury could be a significant setback for Villa, who are still in touch with the Champions League places and are in the knockout stage of the competition. Emery needs his side to pick up some wins and members of his squad to regain fitness if their season is not to end in disappointment.
The match statistics show the dominance of Crystal Palace, with the Eagles having more possession and shots on target. The scoreline was a fair reflection of the game, with Palace's clinical finishing proving to be the difference. The result will be a boost to Palace's confidence, and they will look to build on this performance in their upcoming games. The Premier League table is still tightly packed, but Palace's recent form has given them a chance to push towards the top half. Some of the key match statistics include:
- Premier League matches played: 15
- Palace's wins in the last 15 games: 12
- Villa's wins in the last six games: 1
- Mateta's goals since Glasner's appointment: 25
- Sarr's goals in the match: 2
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