Mateta scores hat-trick as Palace thrash Villa 5-0

A hat trick by Jean-Philippe Mateta and an Eberechi Eze double helped Crystal Palace secure 10th place in the Premier League with a 5-0 thrashing of fourth-placed Aston Villa on Sunday.

Palace, unbeaten in their last seven matches, finished with 49 points and a first top-half league finish since 2015. They scored 57 goals in their league campaign, their highest ever top-flight goal tally.

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Villa, who had already qualified for the Champions league, are without a win in their last four league games and ended on 68 points.

The hosts led in the ninth minute when Michael Olise played it through to a poorly marked Mateta who entered the penalty area and shot past Villa keeper Robin Olsen with his left foot, getting on the scoresheet for the third game in a row.

Mateta struck again in the 39th minute from the edge of the six-yard box, dispatching Daniel Muñoz's short cross from the right into the top left corner.

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Eze extended Palace's lead in the 54th minute, running to the Villa box before firing through two defenders and beating Olsen.

The England international helped Mateta complete his hat-trick nine minutes later, setting him up with a through ball into the box for an easy finish.

Mateta, who took his goal tally in the league to 16, became the first Palace player to score a Premier League hat-trick at the club's home ground Selhurst Park.

Eze scored his own second goal in the 70th minute, with Mateta returning the favour with an assist.

"Today is about enjoying it, because we had this really great performance again and especially the players, they deserve their holidays and time off, then we'll start over again," Palace manager Oliver Glasner said.

"Today is the time to say thank you to each other, and to all the fans for their support."