Crystal Palace

Every so often, a player is described by a pundit as someone who "loves to defend".

Most fans would naturally welcome such a sort in their team, that player who stands tall, lets stuff bounce off him and somehow masters the ability to become a magnet to the ball when it enters the penalty area.

BBC Sport took a look at three metrics this season - headed clearances, blocks and tackles - to see which players seem to relish this kind of thing.

Everton's James Tarkowski leads the way, amassing a total of 131 across the three areas, with Brentford's Nathan Collins second. The two men have made 73 headed clearances each, a stat that proves their value when it comes to defending dead balls.

Murillo - fresh from his contract extension at Nottingham Forest - was highlighted in recent weeks for a no-nonsense display against Liverpool, when he frequently launched clearances into the night. He makes the top three across these metrics and while Brazilian players are so often lauded for their flair, he can proudly carry the 'loves-to-defend' tag.

Chris Peddy
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Romain Esse's quick feet have lit up The Den this season – but there has been a feeling among the fans that it would only be so long before one of the Premier League's elite came calling.

That club is Crystal Palace and now the 19-year-old has chance to replicate his dazzling Millwall form at the highest level.

A trademark of every Eagles' team in their 14-and-a-half-year stay in the top tier has been pace and skill in forward areas, with blistering counter-attacks through the likes of Yannick Bolasie, Wilfried Zaha and, more recently, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.

Esse fits that mould.

The 19-year-old came close to leaving the Lions in the summer before signing a new long-term contract and, after a slightly shaky start in Millwall's 3-2 loss to Watford on the opening day of the season, the versatile attacker flourished and pitched in with a total of five goals in 26 appearances.

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Under both Neil Harris and Alex Neil, Millwall have mostly played a 4-2-3-1 this season, with Esse operating in any one of the three positions behind the striker.

His technical skillset, quick acceleration and fast top speed mean he is equally comfortable taking on his defender and beating them to the line as he is cutting in and getting a shot away.

He will therefore be eyeing up a place as one of the two playing behind Jean-Philippe Mateta in Oliver Glasner's favoured 3-4-2-1 formation.

How ready Esse is to make the step up to immediate game time in the Premier League will come down to Glasner.

However, with an FA Cup fourth-round tie at Doncaster Rovers on the horizon, it should not be too long before he has the chance to show Palace fans why the club paid the release clause for his signature.

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Not many teams have the same hit rate as Crystal Palace when it comes to striking gold from the Championship.

This week's signing of talented teenager Romain Esse from Millwall has a similar vibe to previous moves for Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Adam Wharton, young stars ready to showcase their talents on a bigger platform.

All three of those have been huge hits at Selhurst Park, but at the point of signing how does Esse's pedigree compare?

The above graph shows the appearances, goals and assists figures for each of the players at their previous clubs - Eze at QPR, Olise at Reading and Wharton at Blackburn Rovers.

Clearly, Eze was the most experienced when he signed, chalking up more than 100 appearances in west London and arguably being overdue his move to the Premier League.

At 19, Esse has actually played more senior games than Wharton who needed just 51 games to showcase his talent at Ewood Park.

One slightly jarring comparison is the assists marker - Esse has just one in 66 games as opposed to Olise who had 14 by the time he left Reading.

Does this hint at a lack of end product from a raw midfielder still finding his feet in senior football or could it just be a symptom of playing in a mid-table Championship side that has scored the second fewest in the division this season?

As and when Esse breaks into the Palace side, boss Oliver Glasner will want pace, skill and end product.

Following in the footsteps of those who came before him would be an excellent start.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Jean-Philippe Mateta is continuing to develop into a vital part of Crystal Palace's team and an iconic Premier League striker.

Since 1 February 2024, Mateta is fifth for goals scored in the league with 22 - behind only Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer, Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah.

That is elite company and this season Mateta has scored 11 goals in 26 games across all competitions.

Before his 16-goal haul in the last campaign, the France international had scored just eight goals in three Premier League seasons, but his time on the pitch was inconsistent under Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson, starting just 21 games during those periods.

In the past two Premier League campaigns, though, he has started 45 games and scored 24 goals - the ratio of an elite forward.

He has developed his hold-up play, and his ability to get hold of the ball when the Eagles play direct is crucial to their playing style under Oliver Glasner.

The striker is well liked around the training ground - indeed, Glasner said the 27-year-old can be "too happy" at times in his post-match interview following the win over West Ham.

Mateta has ambitions to play in Europe and secure a spot in the France squad for the World Cup in 2026, but in his current form his importance for Palace cannot be denied.

Alex Pewter
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

At full-time on Saturday, the game could be summarised as a striker-led performance from Crystal Palace against the striker-less West Ham.

Jean-Philippe Mateta's double, questionable penalty finish aside, caused the east London side troubles throughout the match, even drawing both yellow card fouls from the subsequently dismissed Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Since his breakout a year ago, Mateta has developed into an increasingly effective outlet for his team in an often centre-forward-dependent division. Even while the team struggled for results, his job frequently involved acting as the physical workhorse without personal success or chances.

Yet, with a return of four goals in the past three league matches, that imbalance has quickly been addressed - with the Frenchman now boasting a record of 0.47 Premier League goals per 90 minutes in his time at Palace, to go with his talismanic charisma.

With 32 top-flight goals since initially joining on loan in January 2021, Mateta ranks fourth in the club's history. It is a matter of games until he closes the three-goal gap to Christian Benteke, but his long-term future is still to be decided.

As reported in December, an option in his contract has been triggered, and his deal at the club has been extended until 2027 - meaning he will have two years remaining in the summer, which is often a tricky timeframe.

After unsuccessful contract negotiations in the summer, Mateta is left on and is outperforming the deal he signed three years ago when he was viewed as a second or third-choice option.

For Palace, this feels like a key re-signing, even at his high market value - but as Saturday's performance proved, he is a rich commodity and, at 27, is entering his peak years.

Also, with Mateta's known desire for European football and his international ambitions for France hindered by Didier Deschamps's preference for players from 'larger' clubs, it is easy to see the temptation in a move away.

For now, corner flags best be aware - at Selhurst Park and beyond.

Find more from Alex Pewter at FYP podcast, external

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between West Ham and Crystal Palace.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans:

Mike: Very poor first half where we looked slow, tired and lethargic. Much improved second until the penalty. We desperately need a striker and to also give the two young academy lads and Guillerme a regular start as they lifted the team by playing quicker, easier on the eye football. I think it is out with the old and in with the new if we want to avoid a relegation dog fight.

Mooro: Appalling, the worst performance ever, devoid of any attacking threat, hamstrung by Potter's mega-negative line-up and an immobile midfield. I thought Lopetegui was bad but...

Nilesh: Easily the worst game I've seen from West Ham in a long time and that's saying something. Somehow we need to get to the end of the season unscathed and for tough calls to be made. Mavrapanos, Alvarez and Soucek will need to go if we want a change in style. Doesn't matter who the manager is, you can't improve if you have players down the middle who are frightened to ask for the ball.

Mick: The miracle in midweek was replaced by the reality of the weekend. That Palace were so much better than us was frightening. Truly shocking performance. Over 190 minutes played now and only eight shots on goal, with three against Fulham, on target. Terrible statistic. Great to see the young boys finally get a chance, but this team is a relegation candidate. We need Ward-Prowse back, a proper striker and another defender. Mavrapanos is NOT a Premier League player. The only positive today is that he must miss a match. Potter is a good appointment but he isn't Harry and doesn't have a magic wand. No more points this month.

Crystal Palace fans:

Al: Solid at the back. How many go to West Ham and prevent West Ham getting a shot on target? Lacroix is the bargain of the season. Team playing with a self belief and JP "boom boom" Mateta is back on form. Up to 12th and the team has momentum. Long may it continue.

Lloyd: First game of the season where watching I thought Palace were going to win from first whistle. West Ham looked really sluggish and it was only a matter of time before we scored. A little disappointed in JP for not letting Eddie take the penalty. However very happy with the away win and three points.

Rich: Complete performance today. We looked so comfortable all day. Mateta was excellent, Kamada and Hughes bossed the midfield first half. Back three were so solid. The Leicester victory has given the team confidence. Glasner has the players playing and believing, great win.

Jerry: As comfortable a win as you're likely to get in the Premier league. Defensively we were very solid. Dean didn't have one shot to save the entire afternoon. That was a good foundation to give our attacking players. Mateta was once again a real handful for them. He took his first goal really well. A very professional away performance; hard working, and a real team effort. I always felt we were in control.

Watch highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Brentford 0-2 Liverpool

• Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Oliver Glasner maintained that Crystal Palace would need time to adapt to the new Premier League season after numerous incoming and outgoings and he has been proven right.

Palace's first Premier League win of the season came in late October against Tottenham Hotspur. They have only lost twice since then and are currently on a five-match unbeaten run in the league.

For the first time in their top-flight history, Palace have gone seven consecutive away games without losing, winning four and drawing three. They've also kept a clean sheet in each of the last three, equalling their longest run without conceding away from home in the division (a run of three in December 2017).

Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored eight goals this season, 32 in total for Palace and Eberechi Eze has provided assists for eight of those.

Palace's attacking ranks have been strengthed further with the addition of teenage winger Romain Esse on a five-and-a-half-year deal from Milwall.

They are currently in 12th position, just four points away from the top half, a position which seemed out of reach at the start of the campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner speaking to BBC Match of the Day after today's victory: "Today, I'm really pleased with the performance and the result as well. We look very stable in our defence at the moment."

On Jean-Phillipe Mateta: "I don't want to praise him today because it is always teamwork. It is the striker's job to score goals and he is doing excellently. He gets the penalty and scores the goal but he is also hard-working. He is a lovely guy and always so happy in the dressing room."

On recent results: "It's big progress. We talked about it at the beginning of the season when we struggled with different things but it is a great group to work with, they always listen. It's still January but for us, it is about staying humble and keeping to try and get the result. We have three wins this week so they [the players] get a little bit more time off than planned."

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace have gone seven consecutive away games without losing for the first time in their top-flight history (W4 D3). They've also kept a clean sheet in each of the past three, equalling their longest run without conceding away from home in the Premier League (a run of three in December 2017).

Eberechi Eze has now provided eight Premier League assists for Jean-Philippe Mateta, with no Crystal Palace player assisting a teammate more often in the competition's history (Michael Olise to Eze also 8).

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on West Ham's performance

What did you make of Crystal Palace's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

There are five Premier League fixtures on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you all the action.

• Newcastle v Bournemouth (12:30)

• Brentford v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Leicester v Fulham

• West Ham v Crystal Palace

• Arsenal v Aston Villa (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

New West Ham boss Graham Potter got a win in his first home game, against Fulham on Tuesday, but I thought the Hammers got away with one a little bit there.

The safe bet here would be to go for a draw - but I am not going to do that.

Instead, I am going for a Crystal Palace away win, to continue their recent improvement.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, PA Media

Earlier, we asked you who scored Crystal Palace's first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season.

The answer is Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock, who netted an own goal in the 2-1 defeat by the Bees on 18 August.

The first Palace player to find the net in the league this term was Eberechi Eze in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea on 1 September.

Tyrese King
BBC Sport journalist

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at West Ham (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Glasner said Colombia midfielder Jefferson Lerma will not be available due to sickness: "He felt a lack of power. We had to take him off after 20 minutes at Leicester and then he felt unwell."

• There is also a "little question" on Ismaila Sarr as he is suffering with a slight hamstring injury.

• However, everyone else who was available on Tuesday night will be in contention at London Stadium.

• On Chelsea recalling defender Trevoh Chalobah from his loan: "It was a little bit surprising but it's very good for us that Chadi Riad is back. We'll do something [business in the transfer window] if it makes sense. If we think we can't find the right player to achieve our goals, then we won't do anything."

• On transfer business: "I hope that we can announce a signing quite early. Maybe later today or tomorrow. "

• On West Ham boss Graham Potter: "I don't know him [Graham Potter] in person, but everything I hear about him is positive. He did a great job at Brighton and maybe deserved more time at Chelsea to implement his ideas. From what I saw, he had a prompt impact on the team. In their FA Cup game at Aston Villa, he was only there two days and in the first half they were very structured. They kept Villa to no shots at half-time - at Villa Park that is quite difficult."

• On how West Ham play: " They make it difficult to find space to create chances against them. Against Fulham, they were efficient and had four shots and scored three goals. It was a good switch between high press – they scored two empty-net goals because they won the ball very high in the opposite box. They're struggling with strikers after the accident of Michail Antonio and the injury of Niclas Fullkrug but in the last game, they played with Lucas Paqueta as a false nine and Tomas Soucek."

Follow all of Crystal Palace's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Who scored Crystal Palace's first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT