West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 5 - Report

Roy Hodgson returned to The Hawthorns and saw his side start brightly with a Darnell Furlong own-goal putting the visitors ahead after just eight minutes.

But Albion rallied and pulled level on the half-hour through Conor Gallagher’s second goal in as many games.

Just minutes later, though, the match was turned on its head when Matheus Pereira was given a straight red card for flicking his boot towards the chest of Patrick Van Aarnholt after he had been fouled.

Referee Paul Tierney initially gave the Brazilian a yellow card - a decision that wasn’t a clear or obvious error.

But he was called to his monitor by VAR officials and issued Pereira a straight red despite it still being unclear whether his action was violent conduct or not.

Albion felt they should have had a penalty just before the break when keeper Vicente Guaita collided with Branislav Ivanovic.

But VAR did not come to their aid and when Wilfied Zaha put Palace back in front shortly after the interval, Slaven Bilic’s men looked dejected.

Christian Benteke then went on to net twice with Zaha getting another as Palace secured their biggest ever away win in the Premier League.

It meant the Baggies again left the pitch feeling cheated by VAR having also been on the wrong end of calls at Everton and Manchester United.

Report

Albion had impressed in a 3-5-2 formation in their three previous outings.

But Bilic opted to make a slight tactical tweak for the visit of Hodgson’s side with the Baggies lining up in a 3-4-1-2 system.

It saw Grady Diangana partner Karlan Grant up front with Pereira deployed slightly behind.

With Conor Townsend injured, Matt Phillips made his first league start of the season at left wing-back with Furlong on the right.

In central midfield, Romaine Sawyers was partnered by Gallagher - who had come close to joining Palace on loan in the summer only for the Eagles to plump for Michy Batshuayi instead.

Hodgson lined up his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation with former Villa man Benteke leading the line.

Eberechi Eze, a former transfer target for Albion, was in the number 10 role with Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp out wide.

It was Palace who started the game on the front foot with Zaha spinning Semi Ajayi before entering the box and firing wide in the first few minutes.

Their early positivity was then rewarded when they opened scoring having initially been awarded a free-kick following a clumsy challenge from Kyle Bartley.

Luka Milivojevic took it and sent the ball down the line for Zaha who brushed off a challenge from Pereira far too easily.

The Ivory Coast international then sent in a cross which a stretching Furlong turned into his own net.

While the Baggies had started slowly, they responded well to the set-back.

Phillips sent in a cross which Pereira volleyed straight into the arms of Guaita.

The Baggies then went even closer when Phillips stood up another delivery which Furlong met with a powerful header which cannoned back off the crossbar.

While, overall, the game was proving even and keenly contested - it was Bilic’s men who were looking the more dangerous.

And they deservedly pulled level on the half hour with a well-worked goal that started with a brilliant pass from Ajayi.

The Nigerian international split the Palace defence with a pin-point ball that allowed Furlong to hit the byline.

At the second attempt, he then picked out Gallagher who emphatically found the bottom corner from just inside the area.

It felt as though it was Albion who now had the momentum but they were dealt a hammer blow just four minutes later when Pereira saw red.

After being fouled by Van Aanholt, the Brazilian’s boot made contact with the defender’s chest as he fell to the ground.

Referee Tierney initially gave the 24-year-old a yellow card. But he was told by VAR officials to check the decision again on his monitor.

And he then issued a red despite it appearing there was no conclusive proof what Pereira had done was violent conduct.

With a man advantage, Palace started to pile on the pressure with Gary Cahill seeing a shot blocked by Furlong just in front of the goal line.

Albion then should have then been awarded a penalty just seconds before the break when a cross came into the box which Guaita came to punch clear

But the delivery was headed away before he got there with the keeper then smashing into Ivanovic only for the referee to wave play on.

Bilic made a change at the break with Filip Krovinovic replacing Diangana in a move that saw Albion move to a 5-3-1 system.

And they again appealed for a penalty shortly after the re-start with Gallagher going down under a challenge from James McArthur only for Tierney to again dismiss the claims.

With Zaha and Eze particularly bright, though, and with the Baggies no doubt still feeling a huge sense of injustice, they just couldn’t keep Palace at bay.

It was in the 55th minute that Hodgson’s men re-took the lead with Zaha working himself space in the box before curling home a delicious strike.

Then just four minutes later the game was effectively over when Van Aanholt danced to the byline before standing up a cross which Benteke nodded in from close range.

Albion now looked utterly dejected with Zaha grabbing his second and his team’s fourth just before the 70 minute mark.

It was Eze who created it with the former QPR man riding a number of challenges to enter the box.

The ball then fell for Zaha who prodded in from close range.

Palace then wrapped up the scoring in the 82nd minute when Benteke collected a low cross and spun away from Ajayi before firing in.

Teams

Albion: Johnstone, Ajayi, Ivanovic, Bartley, Furlong, Sawyers (O’Shea 80), Gallagher, Pereira, Phillips, Diangana (Krovinovic 46), Grant (Robinson 62).

Subs not used: Button, Gibbs, Grosicki, Austin.

Palace: Guaita, Van Aanholt, Cahill, Kouyate, Clyne, Eze, McArthur (Riedewald 73), Milivojevic, Schlupp (Ayew 74), Zaha (Batshuayi 82), Benteke

Subs not used: Butland, Ward, Townsend, Sakho.