Crystal Palace secured an impressive 4-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday in a blow to Aston Villa’s top four hopes.
Villa had the ball in the net twice in the first half, but it was Palace who led at the break. Jacob Ramsey slotted beyond Dean Henderson but was ruled offside, while Morgan Rogers’ strike just before the break suffered the same fate, with Ollie Watkins deemed to have timed his run too early before delivering the cross.
In between those incidents, birthday boy Ismaila Sarr tapped home from close range to give Oliver Glasner’s side a surprise lead after a period dominated by the visitors.
But it did not take long for Villa to find the net again following the break, and this time it counted after an excellent solo effort from Rogers, who spun his marker in the box before unleashing a clinical strike.
Their lead did not last long though, as Jean-Philippe Mateta continued his excellent form to latch on to a loose ball in the box before wrapping his foot around a fierce effort which flew beyond substitute goalkeeper Robin Olsen.
And Palace made sure of the points against a struggling Villa side when Sarr grabbed his second when he guided a neat volley in at the near post, before Eddie Nketiah scored his first league goal for the club in the dying stages.