Marc Guéhi scored a stunning goal as Crystal Palace ended Aston Villa's 20-match unbeaten home league run with a 3-0 victory at Villa Park. The win was Palace's first away league win of the season and extended their impressive record against Villa, having won five and drawn one of their last six meetings.
Jean-Philippe Mateta opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half after Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot fouled Daichi Kamada. Guéhi then doubled the lead midway through the second half with a brilliant solo effort, running from his own half before curling a shot into the top corner. Maxence Lacroix headed in a third late on to seal the emphatic win.
Villa's defeat was compounded by the absence of first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who manager Unai Emery confirmed was not focused enough to play amid reported interest from Manchester United. 'We need the players focused 100%. He wasn't,' Emery said. The Villa boss acknowledged that the situation has contributed to their poor start, leaving them 19th in the table after three games without a league goal.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner praised Guéhi's performance but admitted the club faces a decision over the defender's future, with Liverpool reportedly interested. 'We need to keep Marc if we want to have a successful season,' Glasner said. 'There's no replacement in the building so it's clear one part of the agreement is not fulfilled.'
The win continues Palace's strong form, having gone 14 games unbeaten in the Premier League since March, their best such run as a top-flight club.
