Crystal Palace eased to a 5-0 victory over Aston Villa on the final day of the 2023-24 Premier League season, securing their place in the top half of the table in the process as Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion fell to defeats.
The top-10 finish for the Eagles sees them record their highest finish in the English top flight since placing 10th in the 2014-15 season.
While Villa had little to play for with fourth already secured, they were Palace's equal throughout the first half, enjoying almost fair shares of the ball and each having plenty of shots, but the second half was completely controlled by the hosts as they ran out 5-0 winners.
A phenomenal hat-trick from Jean-Philippe Mateta and two brilliant strikes from Eberechi Eze saw Palace run rampant, ending the season on a seven-game unbeaten streak with six wins in that time.
Palace got off to the perfect start in their attempted push for a top-half finish as Mateta was played through by Michael Olise, with the striker smashing past the onrushing goalkeeper and making it 1-0 to the Eagles.
A brief stoppage took place for a VAR check on a potential offside, but just minutes later and the game was underway with the goal confirmed.
Moussa Diaby almost equalised in the 16th minute for the visitors as he raced towards goal but his eventual shot was palmed away by Dean Henderson, with the eventual follow-up shot from Ollie Watkins being deflected out for a corner.
From the corner, Aston Villa worked the ball to Diaby at the back post but Henderson was once again equal to the shot, with nothing coming from the subsequent corner.
A brief dull spell followed in the following 20 minutes until Mateta once again struck for the Eagles. Olise found Daniel Munoz down the right-hand side and squared the ball to the striker, who powerfully finished from close range to double the lead.
Olise almost added a third on the stroke of half time, bearing down on goal but seeing his shot superbly saved by Robin Olsen to keep it at 2-0 after the first 45.
It would not stay that way for long though as just 10 minutes after the restart Eze joined the action; a loose ball fell in the midfielder's path and he drove forward before blasting his shot past Olsen.
Palace should have made it four on the hour mark after a great piece of work from Nathaniel Clyne with his cross making its way to Munoz, who pushed the ball further into the box and to Olise, but the Frenchman could only send his shot wide of the target.
Three minutes later and the fourth did come, this time from Palace's talisman once again. Henderson threw the ball long and into Eze's path, and he breezed past Diego Carlos before slotting the ball through to Mateta, who took it into space before placing it into the net.
The Frenchman added his fourth and Palace's fifth in the 66th minute with yet another slotted finish, but another VAR check this time did deny Mateta and kept the score at 4-0.
Palace wasted no time in making sure they had their fifth though, with Eze scoring his second goal in the 70th minute as Aston Villa crumbled. Joachim Andersen won the ball in defence and played through to Eze, who ran into space and played a neat one-two with his striker before firing low and into the goal.
Mateta was rightfully given a hero's reception as he was taken off with 15 minutes to go with the striker having scored 13 in his last 13 since Oliver Glasner took over the side.
Eze came agonisingly close to scoring the second hat-trick of the day in the 82nd minute but his shot bounced just inches wide, denying him his chance as he exited the pitch moments later.
The final result secured Palace their 10th-place finish with 49 points after rivals Brighton lost 2-0 to Manchester United and Bournemouth fell to a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.
Glasner can now look to build on his side with the upcoming transfer window with an aim of pushing higher up the table next season, something his men could certainly achieve if they continue their form since his arrival in February.
Ellis Stevens
