The forward also struck against Nottingham Forest, West Ham United and Newcastle United from transitions that were earned by pieces of hostile pressing.
In midweek we saw a good example. Will Hughes and Jeffrey Schlupp pressurised Newcastle on halfway, and from the turnover the Magpies were unable to recover in time to prevent Mateta sweeping home from Hughes’ fine cutback.This has been a typical Palace goal since Glasner replaced Hodgson, and as the stats below indicate, the Eagles have made a marked improvement when pressing.
Winning the ball back more regularly is helping Palace create better-quality opportunities.The chances Mateta creates for team-mates has halved under Glasner, from 1.6 per 90 minutes to 0.71 but his penalty-box prowess has visibly grown.
Mateta has concentrated harder on staying central, and is less interested in joining in with Palace’s build-up play or running the wide channels.
This shot map for 2023/24 indicates he is at his most threatening with chances that fall to him between the width of the goalposts.The return of fit-again Eberechi Eze, who has been used as one of two No 10s, has helped Mateta, along with Michael Olise’s comeback from injury too.
Eze assisted Mateta’s goals against Forest and West Ham, while Olise set up his fellow Frenchman with a low cross in that 5-2 success against the Hammers.
When you compare the numbers, Mateta has recently been on the receiving end of more clear-cut chances.
The trip to Bournemouth is their only remaining fixture against a bottom-half side this season, but Andoni Iraola’s Cherries are no easier to face than one of the top 10. They are unbeaten in five Premier League matches at home and won 1-0 at Wolves on Wednesday.
Brighton, now out of the top half, are in serious danger of their lowest league finish in three years.He struggled under Roy Hodgson and scored just five goals in 35 matches, prior to which he had only netted six times in 44 with Patrick Vieira at the helm.
But Mateta is now full of confidence leading the line in Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 system, scoring eight goals in nine appearances since the Austrian took charge.
Saturday’s opponents Fulham, who have a rejuvenated striker of their own in Rodrigo Muniz, must work hard to nullify in-form Mateta.Importance of turnovers
Palace press far more aggressively under Glasner, and Mateta has been the beneficiary of some key turnovers.
Five of his eight goals under Glasner have come from situations where team-mates have regained possession in good areas.
The first was a sumptuous back-flick at home to Luton Town from Daniel Munoz’s cutback. The wing-back had won the ball via an aggressive piece of closing-down.
Earlier this month Mateta ran through brilliantly in a 1v1 to score from Adam Wharton’s precise through-ball at home to Manchester City, following an interception inside the middle third.
Luton have only beaten Everton and Sheff Utd on the road this season, and the second of those was back on Boxing Day, but thankfully Wolves isn’t a bad place to go right now.
Gary O’Neil’s side have not won in six Premier League matches, suggesting that they are drifting through to the finish line.
In fact, Everton aside, Luton’s other three remaining opponents have won only one match from a combined total of their last six. There is still a window of opportunity for Rob Edwards’ side – but it’s closing fast.Calvert-Lewin’s outstanding performance against Liverpool capped a revival of fortunes for the Everton striker, whose three goals in four matches have helped Sean Dyche’s side to a vital 10 points.
Everton are virtually safe now, as are Brentford, whose gradual return to form has been driven by Wissa’s six goals in his last nine Premier League appearances.
Calvert-Lewin and Wissa are two of the division’s most in-form strikers at the moment. With the pressure off for both sets of players, that should mean goals.
Can De Zerbi fix away form?
It was only a few weeks ago that Roberto De Zerbi’s name was being linked with Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, but Xabi Alonso’s unavailability coupled with reports of clubs’ interest in Arne Slot and Ralf Rangnick seem symbolic of the sudden decline at Brighton.The Seagulls have won only two of their last 15 Premier League matches on the road and have failed to score in six of their 12 away matches across all competitions in 2024.
How high can Palace climb?
Crystal Palace are flying. Oliver Glasner has completely turned them around, his aggressive and proactive football releasing the Palace forwards’ potential and, almost overnight, turning the club into a real force.Fulham, who have lost their last two home matches, are seemingly on the slide as the season winds down.
It’s a common occurrence for mid-table clubs around this time of year – which is why Palace could rocket up the league.
The Eagles’ highest-ever Premier League finish is 10th place, and although they are currently six points off that position, the four teams above them and in their way – Bournemouth, Brighton & Hove Albion, Wolves and Fulham – have collected a combined total of 10 points from 16 games (W2, D4, L10) over the previous four rounds of matches.
Beat Fulham, and Palace can set their sights on a top-half position.On Wednesday, the four goals Sheff Utd conceded at Man Utd took them to 92 against, a Premier League record for a 38-match season.
The record in a 42-match season is 100. The Blades are eight short of that. Another 8-0 would take them to it.
Surely life wouldn’t be that cruel to them. Newcastle United, mind, have scored in all 17 of their Premier League home matches this season, and their return of 43 goals is already their most at St James’ Park in a top-flight campaign since 1996/97, when they scored 54 times.Will Luton stop their slide against Wolves?
Luton Town’s hopes of safety suddenly feel a lot slimmer after Saturday’s 5-1 home drubbing by Brentford. Having been competitive throughout the season at Kenilworth Road, such a heavy defeat might prove fatal.Either way, they are running out of time to pick up points on home soil and may need an away win to stay above the dotted line.