Crystal Palace have capped off a magnificent few days with a 4-2 win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in their rearranged Premier League fixture at Selhurst Park this evening.
This fixture was supposed to take place on Sunday, but Palace's FA Cup final appearance, which ended up being victorious, saw the game moved back, and Oliver Glasner's men were ruthless in a very impressive attacking performance.
Eddie Nketiah tripled his Premier League goal tally for the season in one evening thanks to a first-half brace, while Ben Chilwell, and Saturday's match-winner Eberechi Eze added goals in the second period.
It initially appeared as though there were signs of an FA Cup final hangover when Emmanuel Agbadou headed Wolves ahead midway through the first half, and Jorgen Strand Larsen notched another goal from a set piece in the second half, but it was not enough for Vitor Pereira's men, who remain 14th.
The fixture was also a poignant moment for Palace stalwart Joel Ward, who made his final Selhurst Park appearance after 13 years at the club, and broke down into tears when he was substituted with 20 minutes remaining.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
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There was plenty of excitement around Palace at the start of the season, but even though they underwhelmed in the first half of the campaign, they have come of age in terrific fashion in 2025 under Glasner.
It took quite some time to adjust to life without Michael Olise, and they may have to go through the same regarding Eze next season, but the foundations now appear to be in place for Palace to attack the upper echelons of the Premier League next season.
Factoring in European football will be a test next season, but Palace have now won nine of their last 17 league games, losing only four, which is even more impressive when you consider they had a taxing FA Cup run alongside that.
Wolves' season has fizzled out in dissatisfying circumstances for Pereira and his side, and the Portuguese manager was clearly not happy at the interval, sending his team out much earlier than Palace, and there was no response from his players following half time either, as they can now no longer finish any higher than 14th after a third successive defeat.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. WOLVES HIGHLIGHTS
24th min: Crystal Palace 0-1 Wolves (Emmanuel Agbadou)
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After an underwhelming start, this game has been blown into life, and Agbadou has his first goal in Old Gold! Pablo Sarabia's inswinging corner is met by Strand Larsen at the back post, and the Norwegian cleverly heads back into the danger area where Agbadou is ready to pounce, and put the visitors ahead at Selhurst.
27th min: Crystal Palace 1-1 Wolves (Eddie Nketiah)
The FA Cup winners are level in the blink of an eye and its Nketiah on a rare start for the Eagles who has got the equaliser for the hosts! After being set up Romain Esse, Nketiah lets fly from the edge of area, beating Daniel Bentley in the visiting goal.
32nd min: Crystal Palace 2-1 Wolves (Eddie Nketiah)
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Palace lead, and it is Nketiah again, with the Palace striker now on a hat trick! With just one league goal to his name all season, two have come like London buses for the 25-year-old, and the Eagles have turned this one on its head, with the ex-Arsenal man on hand to tuck away Ismaila Sarr's cross after some slack defending from Pereira's men.
50th min: Crystal Palace 3-1 Wolves (Ben Chilwell)
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It is hugely fortuitious, but Chilwell has doubled Palace's lead at Selhurst! The Chelsea loanee took his time standing over a free kick, but it was worth it, as the left wing-back has his first goal in over two years, thanks to a huge deflection off Strand Larsen in the wall, with the Norwegian inadvertently getting his head on it, wrong-footing Bentley in the Wolves goal.
62nd min: Crystal Palace 3-2 Wolves (Jorgen Strand Larsen)
There is still life in Wolves yet! The most simple of set-piece goals sees Strand Larsen turn from provider to scorer, nodding home from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's well-executed delivery to bring the deficit back down to one again.
86th min: Crystal Palace 4-2 Wolves (Eberechi Eze)
Just four days after his Wembley heroics, Eze is at it again! It is a seventh goal in six games for Palace's talisman, who was brought off the bench, and within just five minutes, he dances through a few Wolves challenges and then scuffs his effort beyond the reach of Bentley to seal all three points for the Eagles.
MAN OF THE MATCH - EDDIE NKETIAH
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It has been a frustrating season on a personal level for Nketiah, but without him tonight, Palace would not be leaving with the three points.
Nketiah showed excellent intelligence for both goals to be in the right place, and relying on some tidy work from both Esse and Sarr, the Palace front man was on hand to score twice, and he deservedly takes the man-of-the-match award.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS. WOLVES MATCH STATS
Possession: Crystal Palace 32%-68% Wolves
Shots: Crystal Palace 14-12 Wolves
Shots on target: Crystal Palace 10-3 Wolves
Corners: Crystal Palace 0-10 Wolves
Fouls: Crystal Palace 14-8 Wolves
BEST STATS
Two quickfire goals from Eddie Nketiah gives Crystal Palace the lead 🤩
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 20, 2025
The former Arsenal striker only had one Premier League goal this season before today... he's now got two goals in the space of five minutes here 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wfk1GyES4T
WHAT NEXT?
Palace will hope to take advantage of Liverpool's recent dip in form when they go to Anfield on the final day, seeking a top-half finish, while Wolves finish their campaign at home to Brentford on Sunday, looking to consolidate 14th.
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Andrew Delaney
