Over the years, Crystal Palace have been blessed with a range of attacking talents who have captured the hearts of their fans.
For the younger generation, Wilfried Zaha is the standout name, having made a combined 448 appearances across multiple spells with the Eagles and scoring 93 goals. Another notable name is striker Andy Johnson, who was a huge success at Selhurst Park with 74 goals in 140 appearances over a four-year stint, representing the club in both the Premier League and the Championship.
Since their promotion back to the Premier League in 2013, Palace have experimented with various attacking options to secure their top-flight status for 11 consecutive seasons. Currently, they boast a talented group of forwards, with two of Oliver Glasner’s attacking options having impressed significantly over the past year.
Mateta & Eze’s Performance in the 2023/24 Season
Jean-Philippe Mateta wasn’t initially seen as a prolific scorer during his early days at Crystal Palace. The Frenchman scored only 10 goals in his first 67 appearances. However, the arrival of Glasner last season saw a remarkable improvement in his scoring. The 27-year-old has netted 21 goals in his last 43 appearances, including 16 in the Premier League, contributing to a top-half finish for the club.
Mateta’s scoring was undoubtedly boosted by Eberechi Eze’s creativity behind him. Eze had one of his best seasons in 2023/24, contributing 17 goals, the second-highest tally for Palace that season. His outstanding form earned him a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024 and another call-up during the recent international break.
Football. 👇 pic.twitter.com/WQkMcvgyuw
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) April 24, 2024
Despite their impressive form for Palace, Mateta and Eze have both been outscored by a player who failed to make a significant impact during his time at Selhurst Park.
The Player Outscoring Mateta & Eze After Leaving
Christian Benteke, who arrived at Crystal Palace with high expectations following spells at Aston Villa and Liverpool, failed to live up to the hype. The Belgian striker joined Palace in a club-record £27m deal from Liverpool but managed just 37 goals in 177 appearances—an average of one goal every 4.8 matches.
Benteke left Palace in the summer of 2022 to join MLS side DC United, where he has rediscovered his scoring touch. Since moving to the United States, the 33-year-old has netted 35 goals—more than both Mateta and Eze, who each scored only 23 goals in the same period.
Zaha and Benteke lead Palace to victory at Stamford Bridge 👀pic.twitter.com/HeBgG14lv2
— GOAL (@goal) December 26, 2019
Selected Current & Former CPFC Player’s Goal Tally Since 2022
| Player | Goals |
|———————-|——-|
| Christian Benteke | 35 |
| Jean-Philippe Mateta | 23 |
| Eberechi Eze | 23 |
| Odsonne Edouard | 15 |
| Michael Olise | 12 |
| Jordan Ayew | 9 |
Stats via Transfermarkt
Given Benteke’s recent goal-scoring form, Palace might regret letting the striker go. Although his success has come in a less competitive league, he could have been a valuable option for Glasner’s side, potentially thriving as Mateta has in recent months.