Ismaila Sarr’s goal eight minutes from time saw Crystal Palace to a 1-0 victory over the Blues at Selhurst Park. As so often this season, there was little between the sides but with the Blues unable to take their chances and Sarr converting one for the Eagles to leave Town still looking for their first Premier League win of 2025.

Julio Enciso, Kalvin Phillips and Luke Woolfenden started as manager Kieran McKenna made three changes to his Town side, which lined up in their all-pink third kit.

Enciso, on loan from Palace's rivals Brighton, was from the knee injury he sustained at Aston Villa almost a month ago and was in the centre of the three behind striker Liam Delap with Jaden Philogene on the right and Jack Clarke on the left.

Phillips was in central midfield alongside Jens Cajuste with Sam Morsy, who played 120 minutes at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Monday, on the bench, the on-loan Manchester City man having recovered from his calf problem.

Woolfenden, making his 200th Town start on the same ground where he made his first back in August 2017 in the Carabao Cup, was at the centre of the defence alongside Jacob Greaves with Dara O’Shea skippering at right-back and Leif Davis at left-back.

Alex Palmer continued in goal, one of only two survivors from the FA Cup tie at the City Ground, along with Woolfenden.

Omari Hutchinson was on the bench having hurt his knee at Manchester United, while Axel Tuanzebe, who was also in the XI that night, was absent having suffered a hamstring injury at Forest.

Christian Walton was back on the bench after his groin problem, while Cameron Burgess was also in the 20 having been subbed at Forest with a calf injury.

For Palace, Jean-Philippe Mateta was absent following the horror challenge in the FA Cup game against Millwall last week after which he required 25 stitches to his ear and midfielder Will Hughes was suspended having reached 10 bookings.

Eddie Nketiah and Jefferson Lerma replaced them in a team otherwise unchanged from the 4-1 league victory over Aston Villa a fortnight ago.

With England boss Thomas Tuchel among those watching, having also been at the City Ground on Monday, Nketiah had a chance to put the home side in front in the second minute.

Adam Wharton played a pass between Woolfenden and O’Shea, sending the former Arsenal man through one-on-one with Palmer, but the Town keeper was off his line quickly to block.

A minute later, Davis was put away in space on the Town left and cut a cross behind Delap but Philogene breaking inside from the right was able to hit a low left-foot effort, which Dean Henderson saved well down to his left, although the ex-Villa man may feel he should have made a stronger contact.

Despite the early Eagles chance, the Blues had started brightly and on the front foot. and on five Delap brought the ball forward down the middle but hit his shot deep into the Holmesdale End.

Palace began to see most of the ball but with Town also having spells of possession, while also causing the Eagles backline problems with their pressing. On 15, Lerma struck a low shot wide of Palmer’s right post.

A minute later, Greaves and Ismaila Sarr chased a long ball down the middle from the back, which bounced through to Palmer. As it did so, Sarr went to ground as Greaves tugged at him and referee Simon Hooper booked the Town defender, who was clearly very unhappy with the decision. VAR gave the incident a check before confirming a yellow rather than red card.

Eberechi Eze’s free-kick slammed into the wall and ricocheted through to Palmer ahead of a number of Palace players waiting to pounce.

On 19, Nketiah played in Eze to the left of O’Shea, but the alert Greaves slid in to make a vital block.

The home side had started to look dominant but following a 23rd-minute Davis run down the left, the Blues subsequently pinned the Eagles back in their half for a spell during which, following a long throw from Cajuste from the left, Enciso tricked his way into the area on the right and hit a shot from an angle which Henderson did well to palm over.

Town kept up the pressure and from a corner on the left, the ball was half-cleared to Clarke, whose well-struck volley was blocked.

The game was held up in the 37th minute after Davis required treatment having landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge. However, the ex-Leeds man was OK to continue.

In the 42nd minute, Delap took the ball round the outside of Daniel Munoz inside the box on the left but allowed it to run out of play before he could cross.

A minute later, with Palace going through a scruffy spell with passes going astray or out of play, much to their fans’ frustration, Sarr crossed from the right and Nketiah reached the ball ahead of Palmer but diverted it behind.

That was the last action of a not overly enthralling half in which there had been little between the teams, like the corresponding fixture at Portman Road.

Nketiah’s early chance was the best opportunity of the half with Palmer reading it well, while Philogene might have done better with his effort soon afterwards and Enciso forced Henderson into a sharp save later on in the half.

Overall, Blues boss McKenna will have been pleased with the half with his side well in the game.

Town created the first danger of the second half three minutes after the restart. Delap was tripped out on the left and the free-kick was played short to Davis on the edge of the area but the full-back got his shot all wrong and it flew high and wide.

A minute later, Palace hit the woodwork, although in fortuitous circumstances. Eze’s cross took a massive deflection off O’Shea and looped beyond Palmer and struck the outside of his far post, Woolfenden turning the loose ball behind.

On 53, Wharton was yellow-carded for a tackle from behind on Delap, play carrying on until Chris Richards pulled back Clarke with the USA international also booked. Soon after, Palace skipper Marc Guehi was cautioned for a foul on Enciso in the centre circle.

Four minutes later, the Blues broke in numbers, Enciso feeding Clarke towards the left and the ex-Sunderland man hitting a shot against Richards.

As the game passed the hour mark, Clarke stole the ball from Eze deep in Town’s half and drove forward before finding Enciso. The pass was behind the Paraguayan, who tried an effort from distance which was straight at Henderson when he would have been better taking the ball on towards goal.

Two minutes later, Delap forced Henderson to palm behind at his near post with an effort from a tight angle on the left.

From Enciso’s resultant corner on the left, Delap nodded back from the far post, Philogene turned the ball against Henderson and Sarr was able to clear off the line. It was a lucky escape for the home side.

The game was moving from one end to the other and on 64 Enciso was booked for a trip on Eze just outside the Blues box to the left.

Palace kept the ball at Town’s end following the free-kick and eventually Eze cut inside and hit a shot which once again deflected off O’Shea and looped towards Palmer’s far post with the keeper this time able to get across his line to paw it behind.

From the corner, Sarr rose highest but flicked his header across the face and wide. It was a fortunate escape for the Blues.

Town made their first changes of the afternoon, Clarke and Philogene making way for Hutchinson and Ben Johnson with the former Chelsea man going into the middle with Enciso to the left.

Palace made their first switches of personnel in the 72nd minute, Nketiah and Tyrick Mitchell coming off and Daichi Kamada and Ben Chilwell taking over. Three minutes later, Nathan Broadhead replaced the always busy Enciso.

In the 77th minute, Johnson played a long ball down the right for Delap to chase in behind Guehi. The striker looked for a moment as if he might beat Henderson to it but the keeper plucked it out of the air.

Within a minute, there was a huge let-off for the Blues. Davis scuffed his back-pass to Palmer, allowing Daniel Munoz in on goal but the Colombian rushed his effort and Palmer saved with his feet, much to the Town left-back’s relief.

Play quickly moved to the other end with Delap smashing a shot well over when he evidently felt he should have done much better.

As the game moved into its final 10 minutes, a well-worked Town build-up ended with Davis clipping a cross to Johnson at the far post but the unmarked sub looped his header over when he should have opened his Blues goals account.

And two minutes later, Town were made to rue failing to take the opportunity. Phillips tackled sub Kamada on the edge of the box and the ball rebounded into the path of Sarr, who took it on into the area before chipping Palmer and then celebrating with absent striker Mateta’s corner flag kick. The Blues appealed for a Kamada foul on Phillips but to no avail.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had looked the most likely to score at that point but as so often this season were unable to take their opportunity while the opposition were more clinical when one came at the other end.

Town made their final changes as they looked to get back on terms in the final six minutes, George Hirst and Jack Taylor replacing Delap, who will have given England manager Tuchel plenty to think about even if his shooting radar had been off throughout the afternoon, and Cajuste. Soon after, Wharton was replaced by Justin Devenny for the Eagles.

With the game in the second of three minutes of time added on, Eze was swapped for Romain Esse.

The Blues continued to look for a leveller in the dying moments but were unable to test keeper Henderson any further and referee Hooper’s whistle confirmed another defeat.

Overall, the result was harsh on Town, who deserved something from the match and might have taken all three had they taken their chances. However, at the same time, Palace will point to other opportunities they spurned with both keepers making a number of decent saves.

Later in the evening, Wolves drew 1-1 at home to Everton, moving them six points plus goal difference ahead of the Blues with time and games - only 10 remain - running out for Town.

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi (c), Mitchell (Chilwell 72), Wharton (Devenny 87), Lerma, Sarr, Eze (Esse 92), Nketiah (Kamada 72). Unused: Turner, Franca, Clyne, Rodney, Kporha.

Town: Palmer, O’Shea (c), Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste (Taylor 84), Philogene (Johnson 67), Enciso (Broadhead 75), Clarke (Hutchinson 67), Delap (Hirst 84). Unused: Walton, Burgess, Townsend, Morsy. Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire). VAR official: Paul Tierney.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

poet added 14:41 - Mar 10 A few people on here mentioning our home game verses Wolves. One thing that in my opinion should be noted. This Saturday Wolves play Southampton at St Marys. We on the other hand are playing Forest at Portman Road. It doesn’t take a genius to work out which club are playing the most inferior of the two. So, if Wolves beat bottom of the league Southampton, and we lose to 3rd in the table Forest, that home game against Wolves will take on a very different light indeed. Just looking at a few facts.

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Razor added 15:38 - Mar 10 Actually thoughtwewere a bit unlucky on Saturday-----weaktackle on edge of box cost us A goal and PLEASE PLEASE give Delap some help
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Linkboy13 added 18:00 - Mar 10 Spot on TimmyH youve been reading my vlogs. Morsy is struggling with the pace of the Premier league but started the season ok but Phillips is hardly much better as you say no goals no assists. I think some people on here luv him because of his big reputation and are star stuck. Cajuste i think has done better neat and tidy but no goal threat. Encisco has looked a cut above what we already have and this was pointed out by Talk Sport pundit Troy Deeney on Saturday. There lies the problem we haven't got the financial clout to permanently sign even Premier league squad players we have to take them on loan.

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ipswichone added 18:37 - Mar 10 We really gave are all,in this match.it really is soul destroying,loseing a game in the last minutes.
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Leejames99 added 19:12 - Mar 10 I forgot how many assists and goals Morsy and Taylor have this year, hang on 1 & 1, 1 & 0 and 0 & 0! Morsy is simply not a Prem player and it's pretty obvious we concede far less with Phillips and Cajuste play. They are not midfielders who score or assist Phillps is defensive and Cajuste is attacking, the problem is they have to cover for Davis, if he was dropped for Townsend we would see a difference immediately. Jack Clarke has most assists. Why would we want Prem squad players and who? We were in league 1 only 2 seasons ago and we have played the season with those same league 1 players who deserved the chance but aren't up to it aside Burgess and Woolfeden. H Clarke will get better but if relegated those League one lads will go and the squad added too with more talent who could make the step or have made the step up with a few experienced heads and loans. If we can keep Cajuste, bring back Humphries, add Flynne Downes or similar and a new striker like Maja, Callum Robinson, Will Lankshear, Obi Martin or better still go and get Troy Parrot from AZ Alkamar then we wouldnt be far off being a really solid side team and should steam the Championship. Right now though we just have to go for it, drop Davis bring on Townsend only bring on League 1 players if absolutely nessacary but try to keep subs to Johnson, Burgess, Broadhead, Phillogene or J Clarke whichever doesn't play and Hirst if we are winning and go 5-2-1-2 We could get points needed, it looks in interviews that Mckenna has given up, has he got it in him to shout at players, give bad performers tough love or just stick to the process and blame fine margins with the group, fine margins or not we need points and a testimonial for the History Boys

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