Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle: Report, result, goals as Mateta double sinks Magpies in Premier League clash

Jean-Philippe Mateta rounded off a superb week for Crystal Palace with a pair of late goals as they came from behind to beat Newcastle United 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

Newcastle, who were earlier grateful for a double save by Aaron Ramsdale, looked to be on course to bounce back to their Tyne-Wear Derby defeat to Sunderland last time out when William Osula prodded home then in front from point-blank range after Maxence Lacroix had failed to deal with Lewis Miley excellent’s right-wing cross.

Osula had an excellent chance to make it 2-0 in the second half as he latched onto a stray Palace pass, only for Dean Henderson to stick out a leg to deny him a brace.

Jefferson Lerma hit the crossbar from a Yeremy Pino free-kick, but the introduction of Mateta from the bench turned the game in Palace’s favour.

The equaliser came as Tyrick Mitchell was afforded too much space on the left-hand side of the box and he showed the presence of mind to pull back for Mateta to head home 10 minutes from the end of normal time.

And, just as the game looked to be heading towards a draw, Palace were gifted all three points, with Andy Madley pointing to the spot after spotting a Sven Botman shirt pull on Lerma from a long throw.

Mateta made no mistake in converting from 12 yards, squeaking his strike into the bottom-right corner beyond the arm of Ramsdale, moving Palace above Newcastle and into 13th, with both teams on 42 points.

That represents a hugely underwhelming return for the Magpies, who have now dropped 25 points from winning positions, leaving their hopes of playing European football next season looking increasingly slim.

Crystal Palace team vs Newcastle

Palace made five changes from their 3-0 home win over Fiorentina in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final three days earlier, including the return of striker Jorgen Strand Larsen from suspension.

Wingers Yeremy Pino and Brennan Johnson came in, as did midfielders Jefferson Lerma and Will Hughes.

Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton and Jean-Philippe Mateta moved to the bench. Evann Guessand was not involving after being subsituted with a knock against La Viola.

At 26, defender Tyrick Mitchell became the youngest-ever player to reach 200 Premier League games for Palace, breaking Wilfried Zaha’s record.

Crystal Palace starting XI: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Munoz, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell; Johnson, Pino, Strand Larsen.

Palace substitutes: Benitez, Clyne, Devenny, Kamada, Mateta, Riad, Sarr, Sosa, Wharton.

Newcastle team vs Crystal Palace

Newcastle made six alterations from their 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland in the Premier League on March 22, bringing in defenders Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw and Tino Livramento, midfielders Sandro Tonali and Jacob Murphy and forward Will Osula.

Kieran Trippier, who announced a week earlier that he will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, moved to the bench, with Dan Burn, Jacob Ramsey, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Elanga and Nick Woltemade also making way.

Newcastle starting XI: Ramsdale; Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Miley, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Gordon, Osula.

Newcastle substitutes: Barnes, Burn, Elanga, Pope, Ramsey, Trippier, Willock, Wissa, Woltemade.

What’s next? Crystal Palace, Newcastle fixtures

Palace will aim to seal a Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar or Alkmaar when they play their return match against Fiorentina, followed by a Premier League home match against relegation-threatened West Ham.

Newcastle are next in action at home to a Bournemouth side who won at Arsenal on Saturday to boost their European qualification ambitions, then visit the title-chasing Gunners.