Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze scores against Leeds United
Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze scores against Leeds United

Crystal Palace 4-1 Leeds United: Palace record second home win after VAR farce


Crystal Palace recorded their second home win of the season, inflicting Leeds' third defeat in four with this 4-1 victory, but VAR was yet again the dominate story of the contest.

Scott Dann opened the scoring for the home side on 12 minutes, but Patrick Bamford thought he's levelled just five minutes later before VAR's intervention. After a long review, the Leeds striker's hand was judged to be in an offside position, as he pointed to where he wanted the ball played in the buildup.

Palace took advantage of that let off as Eberechi Eze bent in a superb free-kick passed Illan Meslier before Bamford finally did get on the scoresheet minutes later to get the West Yorkshire back in the game.

But the wind was taken out of the visitors' sails just before the break as Hélder Costa deflected into his own net. Jordan Ayew sealed the points with his first goal of the season with a quarter of the contest remaining as his side moved onto 13 points.

While the focus pre-match was on the battle between the two oldest managers in the league - 73-year-old Roy Hodgson, and his eight year junior Marcelo Bielsa - in the capital, it was one of the youngest players on the pitch who made the difference early on.

Hodgson handed a start to 22-year-old Eze in one of three changes to the side which lost 2-0 at Wolves last week and the former QPR playmaker quickly vindicated that decision.

After creating an opportunity for Patrick Van Aanholt inside seven minutes, the 22-year-old found stand-in captain Dann from a corner five minutes later for the opener.

It was his first assist since a switch to Palace in the summer and soon after the England Under-21 international got off the mark for his new club.

Palace's Eberechi Eze, right, celebrates with Andros Townsend
Palace's Eberechi Eze, right, celebrates with Andros Townsend

Eze was fouled on the edge of the area by Robin Koch, but picked himself up and brilliantly curled over the wall and into the top corner with 22 played.

Leeds had already had a goal harshly ruled out for a marginal offside on Bamford, which had left director of football Orta unhappy at Selhurst Park. Bamford was pointing where he wanted Mateusz Klich to play a pass, only for his outstretched arm to come back and cost him on review.

Orta let his anger be known after Eze’s stunning strike too, with visiting midfielder Klich going down with an injury in the build up to Palace being awarded a free kick.

Orta bemoaned the lack of fair play and showed his frustration in the stand, but Bamford did give him and Leeds something to smile about when he controlled Klich’s header and drilled in on the half volley in the 27th minute.

It was the forward’s seventh goal of the campaign and yet the Eagles had the final say on a eventful first half when with 43 gone full-back Van Aanholt got forward on the left and saw his cross deflect off the sliding Helder Costa to squeeze past Illan Meslier at the near post.

Bielsa replaced the Portuguese winger at half-time, with Raphinha introduced and Pascal Struijk should have pulled one back six minutes into the second period, but headed a Jack Harrison corner wide.

Eagles goalkeeper Vicente Guaita was called into action twice in quick succession midway through the half and was equal to both efforts by Ezgjan Alioski and Harrison.

Those stops would prove crucial when Ayew wrapped up the points for the hosts in the 70th minute.

Wilfried Zaha produced a wonderful pass into his strike partner, who had pulled away from his marker and the Ghana international fired home for his first of the season.

It consigned Leeds to a second straight 4-1 defeat, after losing at home to Leicester by the same score on Monday, but Palace have now triumphed in half of their eight league fixtures this term.

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