Mateta brace gives Crystal Palace win at West Ham

Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice in the second half as Crystal Palace completed a 2-0 Premier League away win at a toothless West Ham United on Saturday, more evidence for new manager Graham Potter of the difficult job he faces in east London.

Palace broke from their own box and within three touches Eberechi Eze’s pass to the feet of Mateta set the striker clear and he drilled the ball low into the goal, before adding a late second from the penalty spot.

West Ham’s poor afternoon was compounded by a second yellow card for Konstantinos Mavropanos 10 minutes from time following his high boot into the face of Mateta, giving referee Thomas Bramall an easy decision to make.

Palace climbed to 12th place in the table with 27 points from 22 games, above West Ham, who are in 14th with 26.

West Ham did not have a shot on target in the 90 minutes and looked devoid of ideas as the visitors comfortably held them at bay in a clinical display that barely saw them get out of second gear.

Palace have lost once in their last 11 Premier League games and are now unbeaten away from home in seven.

They also broke their barren run in London derbies, having failed to win any of the previous 13, since beating West Ham in November 2022.

The first half provided little in the way of entertainment or goalmouth action, with the best chance falling to the visitors.

Mateta unleashed a fierce shot from a tight angle but 39-year-old home goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski made a fine stop diving to his right.

Inside three minutes of the second half, however, Palace hit the front as Mateta finished off a sweeping move with a fine finish.

Potter reacted to the goal by bringing on 18-year-old midfielder Lewis Orford for his debut and 19-year-old left back Ollie Scarles.

It took West Ham until the 70th minute to create anything of note in the final third, but Danny Ings’ shot was blocked and that was as good as it got for them.

When Mavropanos was sent off their task was made ever harder and Fabianski’s foul on an onrushing Eddie Nketiah led to a penalty a minute from the end.

The goalkeeper nearly saved Mateta’s low effort, but the ball squirmed under his body and into the net.