Crystal Palace 1-0 Ipswich: Ismaila Sarr steps up in Jean-Philippe Mateta’s absence with late winner as Tractor Boys survival hopes suffer crushing blow

Eddie Nketiah blew his big chance so it was thank goodness for Ismaila Sarr at Crystal Palace, who inflicted another crushing blow on Ipswich with a late winner at Selhurst Park.

With relegation rivals Wolves playing later in the day and Palace without talismanic striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, a window of opportunity had opened for the Tractor Boys.

But after a bright start they faded badly and even though Palace looked toothless with the ineffective Nketiah missing their best chance, Ipswich could not capitalise.

Manchester United are among the teams interested in Mateta and if this was a glimpse into a possible future without him for the Eagles then it was a pretty grim one.

But a flurry of late pressure eventually told and Sarr finally edged them in front with just over eight minutes to go, scoring his seventh goal of the season.

Mateta scored the winner in the reverse fixture at Portman Road in December.

Sarr celebrates following his goal, which was scored in the 82nd minute at Selhurst Park

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna watched on as his side’s hopes of survival suffered a blow

But with the Frenchman out of action after being brutally kicked in the head by Millwall keeper Liam Roberts, it was Eddie Nketiah who led the line for Palace.

And Nketiah should have scored inside two minutes when Adam Wharton played him clean through with a lovely ball.

But the former Arsenal dithered as he bore down on Alex Palmer and the Ipswich keeper ended up blocking his shot.

Dean Henderson then made a diving save to deny Jaden Philogene at the other end, before a last-ditch block by Jacob Greaves denied Eberechi Eze a certain goal.

Henderson again did well when Julio Enciso embarrassed Marc Guehi to fire in a shot midway through the first half.

Ipswich survived a scare when Leif Davis went down hard after an aerial collision with Daniel Munoz, but he eventually got back on his feet after lengthy treatment.

Eze almost scored a comical goal at the start of the second half when his cross looped up off Dara O’Shea and beat Palmer only to hit the far post.

But Ipswich should have done better on a fast break when Jack Clarke raced clear but played a poor ball to Liam Delap, who had to dig it out of his feet before firing straight at Henderson.

Palace striker Eddie Nketiah was unable to make a significant impact during his side’s win

Ipswich star Omari Hutchinson is left dejected following his team’s defeat against Palace

Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson made some important stops as he kept a clean sheet

Ismaila Sarr then cleared off his own goalline from Delap, before Eze tested Palmer with a deflected shot and Sarr headed wide from a corner.

Ipswich once again had Palmer to thank for keeping them in it when he made a brilliant save to deny Daniel Munoz with 12 minutes to go.

But it didn’t last, and it was Sarr who eventually broke the deadlock, skipping through too easily and dinking the ball over the onrushing Palmer.

Ipswich pressed as hard as they could for an equaliser, but it wasn’t to be, and they have now taken just two points from a possible 27 this calendar year. Bleak.