Crystal Palace 4-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa’s four-match unbeaten run came to an end as they suffered a 4-1 defeat against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Ismaila Sarr fired the hosts into the lead from close range just before the half-hour mark, with Jacob Ramsey and then Morgan Rogers, the latter via a VAR review, both seeing goals ruled out for offside.

Yet Villa were not to be denied in the 52^nd minute as Rogers finally got his name on the scoresheet courtesy of a neat turn and finish in the area, the England international’s 12^th of the season.

However, the Eagles struck back and Jean-Philippe Mateta’s curling effort and Sarr’s second of the night, a coolly-taken volley, sandwiched Ezri Konsa’s header against the crossbar to put the hosts on course for all three points.

Substitute Eddie Nketiah then added a fourth in injury time to inflict a seventh defeat in Villa’s last nine encounters against Palace in south London, with Emi Martínez also withdrawn at the interval.

Unai Emery’s charges will now quickly turn to their attention to Friday night’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Cardiff City.

The Villans showed four changes from Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea, with Axel Disasi, Lucas Digne, Andrés García and Lamare Bogarde all returning to Emery’s starting line-up.

And it was an evenly-balanced start to what was the third meeting of the season between the two teams, with the Eagles enjoying the better of October’s Carabao Cup tie before sharing the spoils in the Premier League’s reverse fixture.

Youri Tielemans flashed a glancing header off target in the 21^st minute before Ramsey slotted past Dean Henderson shortly afterwards, only to be denied by the offside flag.

But it was Palace who opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark as Sarr followed up to convert from close range after Martínez parried away Chris Richards’ header from Adam Wharton’s cross.

Martínez made a superb reflex save to thwart Sarr in the 38^th minute following a swift Palace counter-attack, before Mateta fired wide shortly afterwards.

Villa looked to have levelled prior to the break when Rogers found Watkins before continuing into the penalty area and slotting home a reverse pass, yet the visitors were undone following a VAR review, with the effort again ruled out for offside.

Emery made a double change at the break as Leon Bailey was introduced while Martínez was replaced by Robin Olsen.

And the Villa ‘keeper played his part in the equaliser seven minutes into the second half as his long goal-kick was flicked on by Watkins into the path of Rogers, who turned neatly in the area before firing past Henderson into the bottom corner from 10 yards.

However, the hosts were soon back in front as Mateta latched on to Eberechi Eze’s touch and applied a well-taken, curling finish beyond Olsen from just inside the area.

Konsa’s looping header from Digne’s corner struck the top of the crossbar in the 68^th minute, with manager Emery turning to Marco Asensio, two-goal matchwinner against Chelsea at the weekend, and Marcus Rashford.

Yet Villa were soon two goals adrift as Sarr’s neat side-footed volley from Daniel Munoz’s cross found the far corner.

Tyrick Mitchell sent a clear-cut opening off target for the hosts before his cross was converted by sub Nketiah in added time, with Tielemans denied by an excellent stop from Henderson late on.