Crystal Palace Spank Norwich 3-0 At Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace climbed into the top half of the Premier League after easing to victory against Norwich at Selhurst Park.
Three first-half goals from Odsonne Edouard, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jeffrey Schlupp condemned the Canaries to the foot of the table at the end of 2021.
The visitors started brightly but found themselves a goal down after eight minutes when Kenny McLean fouled Will Hughes in the area and Edouard converted from the spot for his first goal since October.
Palace took charge from there with Hughes their driving force. He sprung forward and slipped in Mateta, who could only find the side-netting.
Mateta made it 2-0 with his first goal of the season seven minutes before half-time. Edouard pulled out to the left and played in a low cross that Mateta placed past Angus Gunn with superb precision.
Just seconds earlier, Jacob Sorensen squandered a superb chance for Norwich at the other end, and four minutes later, Schlupp added a third with a powerful finish from a tight angle.
Sam Byram clipped the top of the crossbar with a header in stoppage time, but Norwich’s defensive issues had already given them a mountain to climb.
Gunn did his best to keep the score down with an excellent double save to deny Schlupp and then Mateta in the second half, while Vicente Guaita was forced into rare action
Crystal Palace 3-0 Norwich: Canaries not good enough – Dean Smith
Norwich boss Dean Smith knew how difficult the job would be when he arrived at Carrow Road in November, but his side appear devoid of any inspiration at the moment.
There were good spells of possession, particularly early on, and a couple of half chances, but Palace were not really troubled at any point.
With no Teemu Pukki or Todd Cantwell in the side, their task was made even tougher, but they have now lost five games in succession without scoring a goal and conceding 14.
The Norwich fans even resorting to singing: “Lets’ pretend we scored a goal!” and it neatly summed up another tough afternoon in what is becoming a nightmarish season.
