Guéhi’s curler crowns Palace’s clinical 3-0 as Villa’s home fortress finally falls

Crystal Palace produced a textbook away performance to win 3-0 at Villa Park, ending Aston Villa’s long unbeaten home sequence and delivering their first Premier League victory of the season. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first-half penalty set the tone, captain Marc Guéhi’s sublime second-half strike arrived just as Villa were threatening, and Ismaïla Sarr’s late header sealed it for an organised, incisive visiting side.

For Villa, who had dominated early possession without bite, the night unravelled in moments. Marco Bizot’s foul on Daichi Kamada handed Palace the lead, Dean Henderson’s sharp saves repelled Ollie Watkins and later Morgan Rogers, and Guéhi’s top-corner curler punctured the comeback. Sarr’s 78-minute finish then confirmed a first home league defeat in 20 and brought to an end both a 19-game Premier League unbeaten home run and a broader 22-match streak at Villa Park.

Plan, pressure and the small margins that mattered

Unai Emery’s side set the early tempo, recycling the ball across Palace’s compact block and drawing the visitors back toward their own penalty area. Yet Oliver Glasner’s plan was clear: absorb, spring, and punish. When Kamada was tripped by Bizot in the 21st minute, Mateta stepped up and sent the Dutch goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot. Minutes later, the approach almost made it 2-0 when Daniel Muñoz roared forward and crossed, only for Sarr to head over.

Villa’s best first-half opening came when Watkins burst through, only to be denied by Henderson, who stood tall and blocked bravely. Youri Tielemans twice threatened from corners at either end of the half without finding the finish. The contest tightened, decided not by long spells of dominance but by precision in the moments that counted.

A captain’s moment amid a week of transfer noise

The home buildup had been clouded by Emiliano Martinez’s absence amid strong links to Manchester United, with Emery admitting he needed players focused. In the vacuum, Bizot deputised but his early misjudgment left Villa chasing. Across the halfway line, Guéhi played through his own uncertainty superbly, wearing the armband and marshalling Palace’s shape while Liverpool’s interest swirled in the background.

Then, with Villa ascendant after the restart, came the strike that defined the night. Having helped start the move from deep, Guéhi arrived on a loose ball after Ezri Konsa’s clearance and curled a sumptuous shot into the far top corner from the edge of the box. Villa’s pressure, which had brought a low Henderson save from Rogers, was abruptly flipped; the away end serenaded their captain as a vital three points swung Palace’s way.

Ruthless third and the calm hands at the back

Palace’s assurance was underpinned by Henderson. He preserved the lead with that first-half block from Watkins and a sharp low stop to his right from Rogers soon after half-time. Whenever Villa found a passing lane, the goalkeeper’s positioning and Palace’s defensive line — organised, compact, connected — kept the home side at arm’s length.

The finale reflected the visitors’ pragmatism. Jefferson Lerma hurled a long throw, Maxence Lacroix flicked on, and Sarr arrived at the far post to nod in on 78 minutes. It was the kind of set-play ruthlessness that complements a counter-punching plan: limited chances, maximum incision, and a scoreline that felt emphatic because of how efficiently it was constructed.

Form lines, records and what comes next

This win capped an excellent week for Palace, who had secured their place in the UEFA Conference League’s league phase with a goalless draw at Fredrikstad. It also extended a club-record 14-game unbeaten run in all competitions and continued a strong head-to-head sequence against Villa in the past two years. Unbeaten in the league, they move to five points and eighth in the table, with Sunderland visiting Selhurst Park next. The caveat: Adam Wharton departed with an injury around the 56th minute and will undergo a scan, though a late cameo from new signing Yeremy Pino offered further encouragement.

For Villa, the problems are piling up. They are second-bottom on one point and have yet to score this season, their third successive league game without a goal for the first time in 28 years. The disruption around Martinez, a subdued attacking display before Buendia’s introduction, and the punishment meted out by Palace paint a sober picture heading into the international break. Everton away awaits when the league resumes.