It was an incredible Town performance against Palace, so the player ratings are high across the board. I genuinely don’t think a single player had a bad game. If we can keep on performing with every player at their peak then we could be in for a good season.
Lössl 8 out of 10
Made an incredible reflex save from a corner that looked a certain goal. Distribution was first class. Came off his line well apart from one unconvincing flap.
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Löwe 8 out of 10
Made an amazing tackle to stop Zaha going clear through on goal. After a few mistakes early on he grew into the game. Overlapped well and ran tirelessly.
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Schindler 8 out of 10
Looked as classy as ever. Didn’t win every header when going up with Benteke but did enough to stop him getting all his own way.
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Zanka 8 out of 10
Looked comfortable in possession and made some vital tackles in the box. It’s only his first competitive game for Town but he looks like he could be a great signing.
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Smith 8 out of 10
Probably had the hardest job on the pitch today in marking Zaha, particularly after getting booked early on. Did well against one of the division’s top players.
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Billing 7 out of 10
Played the Hogg role well, using his leg span to poke the ball away from Palace midfielders. He was a bit sloppy in possession at times but also played some lovely passes.
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Mooy 9 out of 10
A sensational start to his Premier League career. Managed to work his way out of tight spots and deliver quality balls into the box. Deserved his 2 assists.
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Kachunga 7 out of 10
Worked hard, caused problems and took up good positions. He wasn’t a standout player for us, but he played his part and closed down Palace when they had the ball.
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Ince 7 out of 10
I was really impressed with how well he tracked back and covered for Löwe’s overlapping runs. He also looked lively when he was on the ball. Could have scored in the opening minutes but shot straight at the keeper. He’s a player that’s exciting to see on the ball and I think he’s going to be great.
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Palmer 8 out of 10
He was having to operate in tight situations and didn’t get a lot of time on the ball to pick his passes. He still managed to get involved and linked up well with the other attackers.
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Mounié – 10 out of 10
What a player! His head is like a magnet, he got on the end of everything in both attack and defence. His goals were superbly taken, one a powerful header, the other a composed finish with his right foot. He looks hungry, aggressive, and talented. It’s a shame he didn’t score when clear through on goal late on, because he deserved a hat-trick for his performance.
Substitutes
Danny Williams, 8 out of 10 – Came on to replace Tommy Smith, and took over the tricky task of trying to control Zaha. Did a good job in a position he’s not played often.
Collin Quaner, 8 out of 10 – Got into space well and played a simple pass in for Mounié to score his second. He was lively when he came on and helped us to retain possession higher up the field when we needed to take the sting out of the game. He’s going to be an asset on the bench with his physicality and sublime touches (in between the times it bounces off his shin).
Van le Parra – Not fair to give him a rating because he was only on the field a few minutes. He was unlucky not to start given his preseason performances and I’m sure he’ll get his chance to make a proper impression this season.
Mounié was not just a standout performer, but also Lössl in goal. While we could have had Danny Ward back, we needn’t worry because we have a more than able replacement in Lossi between the sticks. The save from a Benteke header was particularly strong evidence that Lössl is a goalie who can do the job.