Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson dedicated their 1-0 Premier League win over Ipswich to injured striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
In a scrappy match, Ismaila Sarr’s 82nd-minute strike secured victory, making it three consecutive league wins for the Eagles after beating Villa and Fulham.
The result marked a huge turnaround for Oliver Glasner’s side, who have now collected 22 points from their last 10 league games—second only to Liverpool’s 24. This is a stark contrast to their early-season struggles when it took nine matches to secure their first league win.
Palace now have a break until their FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham on March 29, with a training camp in Marbella and an international window in between.
Henderson credited the team’s resurgence to their commitment on the training ground. “It’s the hard work we’ve put in when things weren’t going great,” he said. “Everyone’s bought into the manager’s vision, and we’ve got to trust the process. The run of form has been phenomenal, and we just need to keep pushing to see where it takes us.”
Despite the win, Henderson acknowledged Ipswich’s strong performance. “Credit to Ipswich, they were brilliant,” he said. “They played great football, had some good players, and fought hard. We had to dig deep, but we showed our experience to see out the game and get the late breakthrough.”
Securing three points before the break was crucial for Palace. “It’s massive,” Henderson added. “Now we can relax for a few days, step out of the pressure, and get ready for the big games ahead.”
Henderson’s clean sheet was his ninth of the season, contributing to Palace’s status as the joint third-best defense in the league. “Clean sheets win competitions,” he noted. “Early on, we struggled at both ends, but we’ve worked hard to fix that. The defense is solid, and our attack is clicking into place.”
Reflecting on his own performance, Henderson was pleased with his key saves. “Getting an early stop sets the tone for the game,” he said. “Everything was going my way, and I’ll enjoy looking back at it on Match of the Day.”
After scoring the winner, Sarr honored Mateta by mimicking his signature goal celebration. Mateta, who required 25 stitches after a collision in the FA Cup, remains sidelined.
“We love JP to bits,” Henderson said. “He’s been phenomenal for us. It was great from Ismaila to dedicate the goal to him, and what a finish it was. We’re just delighted to get the win for JP.”
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