Eberechi Eze’s classy goal 14 minutes from time secured Crystal Palace’s second Premier League win of the season as they came from behind to beat Leeds at Selhurst Park.
Neither side went into the game with any kind of form after sharing just four points from their last eight Premier League matches combined, and Palace started the game like a team hovering above the relegation zone, showing nerves throughout the team as they allowed Pascal Struijk to give Leeds an early lead.
But Odsonne Edouard equalised soon after against the run of play and Palace were a team transformed in the second half, sealing all three points when Eze drilled a finish past Illan Meslier in the 76th minute after combining joyously with Wilfried Zaha on the edge of the Leeds area.
Palace’s win moves them up to 15th in the Premier League – three points above the relegation zone – while Leeds drop to 14th and are now winless in five matches.
How Eze earned Palace vital win
No one can doubt the good work done by Patrick Vieira since he replaced Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace at the start of last season and the Eagles’ tricky start to the season – their opponents had an average league position of 6.86 before Sunday – meant a position just above the bottom three was not being treated with too much concern.
Still, a home game against a Leeds side without a win since August represented a vital opportunity for Palace to get three points on the board and, thanks to an impressive second-half performance, Vieira’s side did just that.