Palace Clinch Crucial Away Victory Over Ipswich
Crystal Palace recorded a vital 1-0 victory away at Portman Road against Ipswich Town, securing their first three points on the road this season. Jean-Philippe Mateta once again proved crucial, netting his fourth goal of the season to lift the Eagles to three points above the relegation zone.
Mateta delivered a beautiful chipped finish in the 59th minute, the sole moment of brilliance in an otherwise tightly contested match.
The Frenchman nearly doubled his tally, forcing a fine save from Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric. His goal was enough to secure the win for a Palace side which produced a solid defensive performance.
Ipswich struggled to create clear chances and continue to search for their first home victory since rejoining the Premier League.
“I feel very happy,” said Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner. "We’re all pleased with the result. It wasn’t our best performance, but the result was more important.” He added, “We’re not going to sit back. We need to keep going. There are still many things to improve, but we are on the right path."
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was disappointed. "Frustrating night," he said. "We weren’t fantastic in the first half, but neither were our opponents. We deserved better in the second half."
Concerns OverGuehi’s Faith-Based Message
The match was shadowed by controversy. Palace Captain Marc Guehi once again wore a customized rainbow armband featuring the message “Jesus loves you.” This follows a similar incident just days earlier against Newcastle, when his armband declared "I love Jesus.” The Football Association contacted Guehi and Palace reminding them of the restrictions on religious messages on player attire.
This repeat incident has the potential to result in disciplinary action for Guehi, though the FA has yet to comment on the
matter.
“We respect every player, and especially Marc. He is our captain," stated Glasner. “Everyone knows he is a great guy, very humble, and shouldn’t be criticized." He continued, "He has his opinion, we respect it.”
Guehi’s teammate, Sam Morsy again chose not to wear the rainbow armband, citing his religious beliefs, a choice he first made during the previous match.
Mateta’s Rise
Mateta’s goal continues his impressive run of form. Since Glasner took charge, only Erling Haaland has scored more non-penalty goals in the Premier League.
With 28 goals, Mateta is now tied with Luka Milivojevic as Palace’s third highest scorer in the Premier League, trailing only Wilfried Zaha (68) and Christian Benteke (35).
This victory further lifts the Eagles, who will look to capitalize on this momentum when they face Manchester City in four days.
