Tyrick Mitchell scored his first professional goal as Crystal Palace twice came from behind to beat Aston Villa and damage their hopes of achieving a Premier League top-half finish.
In an engrossing encounter that belied its largely ‘dead rubber’ status, both sides contributed energetic displays full of attacking intent, with Palace rewarded for a superb second-half showing.
Trailing 2-1 from the 34th minute, Palace battered at the door after the break until the visitors’ resistance was finally broken at Selhurst Park.
With 15 minutes left, Zaha produced a driving run before cutting inside and firing a fierce shot that deflected into the net off Villa defender Ahmed Elmohamady.
Then, with six minutes to go, Mitchell found himself in the perfect spot after a fluffed Eberechi Eze cross to bundle the ball home with his shoulder.
Palace had already come back into the game once, Christian Benteke heading in against his former club following John McGinn’s well-taken opener.
Anwar El Ghazi lashed in at the back post to restore Villa’s lead – a goal that looked like being the winner until Palace’s late rally.
More to follow.
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Crystal Palace
Squad number1Player nameButland
Squad number2Player nameWard
Squad number8Player nameKouyaté
Squad number24Player nameCahill
Squad number27Player nameMitchell
Squad number25Player nameEze
Squad number22Player nameMcCarthy
Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
Squad number10Player nameTownsend
Squad number20Player nameBenteke
Squad number11Player nameZaha
Squad number5Player nameTomkins
Aston Villa
Squad number26Player nameMartínez
Squad number27Player nameAhmed El Mohamady
Squad number4Player nameKonsa
Squad number30Player nameHause
Squad number18Player nameTargett
Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
Squad number41Player nameRamsey
Squad number15Player nameTraoré
Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
Squad number21Player nameEl Ghazi
Squad number11Player nameWatkins
Squad number9Player nameWesley
Squad number10Player nameGrealish
Squad number39Player nameDavis
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Butland
- 2WardBooked at 73mins
- 8KouyatéBooked at 82mins
- 24Cahill
- 27Mitchell
- 25Eze
- 22McCarthySubstituted forTomkinsat 73′minutes
- 15Schlupp
- 10Townsend
- 20Benteke
- 11ZahaBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 5Tomkins
- 6Dann
- 9J Ayew
- 13Hennessey
- 14Mateta
- 23Batshuayi
- 31Guaita
- 34Kelly
- 44Riedewald
Aston Villa
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Martínez
- 27El Mohamady
- 4Konsa
- 30HauseBooked at 86mins
- 18Targett
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41RamseySubstituted forDavisat 85′minutes
- 15TraoréSubstituted forGrealishat 64′minutes
- 7McGinnBooked at 50mins
- 21El GhaziSubstituted forWesleyat 88′minutes
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 3Taylor
- 9Wesley
- 10Grealish
- 12Steer
- 19Nakamba
- 20Barkley
- 22Engels
- 39Davis
- 60Chukwuemeka
Live Text
Match ends, Crystal Palace 3, Aston Villa 2.
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 3, Aston Villa 2.
Attempt missed. Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Matt Targett with a cross following a set piece situation.
Wesley (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by James Tomkins (Crystal Palace).
Attempt missed. Keinan Davis (Aston Villa) with an attempt from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Matt Targett with a cross.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).
Foul by Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa).
Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Wesley replaces Anwar El Ghazi.
Foul by Keinan Davis (Aston Villa).
Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Kortney Hause (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Kortney Hause (Aston Villa).
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Keinan Davis replaces Jacob Ramsey.
Goal! Crystal Palace 3, Aston Villa 2. Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) with an attempt from very close range to the bottom right corner.