West Ham 0-2 Crystal Palace: Jean-Philippe Mateta’s strikes inflict first league defeat on Graham Potter as 10-men Hammers are well beaten

What would Graham Potter give for a striker like Jean-Phillippe Mateta?

As the new West Ham boss started again without a recognized frontman on the pitch, with his bosses scrambling to sign one this month, it was the Palace killer who put on a masterclass of quality centre-forward play.

Mateta scored both goals at the London Stadium, one from the penalty spot, to make it four in his last three appearances and complete this simplest of victories.

Not only did he almost set up substitute Eddie Nketiah for another with a splitting through ball, he also drew both of Konstantinos Mavropanos’ fouls, earning the West Ham defender two yellow cards and an early bath. How Potter must long for such a focal point.

Because this was only his second league game and the Hammers were still tinkering and tinkering. He started against Fulham with four central midfielders and no forwards, and for Palace he switched to three at the back, in keeping with the Eagles system – again no striker.

Maybe that’s why hardly anything happened in the first half. Perhaps this was simply a case of two regular mid-table sides playing in the same formation, stalemating and eliminating the other.

Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice as Crystal Palace secured a 2-0 win over West Ham

Mateta scored his second from the penalty spot as Palace secured a deserved 2-0 win

Mateta scored his second from the penalty spot as Palace secured a deserved 2-0 win

Graham Potter was helpless as he slid to defeat in the first league as Hammers manager

Graham Potter was helpless as he slid to defeat in the first league as Hammers manager

Perhaps some people would describe the first 45 minutes as an ‘intriguing tactical battle’. These people need to come out more.

Palace, more suited to their familiar system, can at least say they had the better openings, but nothing was clear as Millwall’s Romain Esse, who made a new signing for a fee of £14 million, watched from the stands .

Mateta forced an early save from Lukasz Fabianski from a difficult angle. Chris Richards tapped Eberechi Eze’s free kick into the arms of the West Ham keeper.

Eze shot over from distance, as did Daichi Kamada twice.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka volleyed at the back post, Paqueta tapped a ball into the penalty area, then Tomas Soucek went down and begged for a penalty, but more out of desperation than hope.

If there was anything that summed up the first period it was Eze attempting a rabona cross that failed to beat the first man before Paqueta attempted a scissor kick volley but it shone wide.

The first half was so weak that Potter felt he had to change that at the break, so in came Guido Rodriguez with Carlos Soler in his place.

There was nothing sloppy about Palace’s start to the second half and within three minutes they were ahead.

West Ham's midfield struggled with the energy Palace showed throughout the match

West Ham’s midfield struggled with the energy Palace showed throughout the match

West Ham failed to register a single shot on target in the defeat as Palace outclassed the hosts

West Ham failed to register a single shot on target in the defeat as Palace outclassed the hosts

Mateta showed all the skills that the modern striker needs to master to score goals

Mateta showed all the skills that the modern striker needs to master to score goals

John Fury THROWS a glass of water at Darren Till

Eze played in Mateta, who ran at Max Kilman as the Hammers defender retreated and retreated and retreated until the Palace striker thanked him for his generosity and drilled the ball past Fabianski.

Just before his goal he nutmegged Mavropanos, West Ham’s other centre-back, leaving him for dead and drawing a foul and a yellow card.

Potter responded again with a three-way substitution and a return to a back four. Danny Ings, his only fit striker, came on to replace Paqueta, while youngsters Ollie Scarles and Lewis Orford, making his senior debut, replaced Aaron Cresswell and Emerson.

Ings saw his shot blocked amid a frantic goalmouth scramble, before Alvarez lofted his effort from distance halfway into the stands. That was about as good as it gets, not a single shot on target.

Eze should have done better when he received the ball inside the area, but a poor touch let him down.

His replacement Nketiah almost scored within moments of entering the field, played through by a beautiful pass from Mateta, but could not beat Fabianski.

With ten minutes to go, Mavropanos picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon for a high boot on Mateta and was sent on a long and lonely walk across the pitch.

West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos (right) was sent off for a second bookable foul on Mateta

West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos (right) was sent off for a second bookable foul on Mateta

It’s not just attackers Potter needs now with Aston Villa on the horizon. He now also has to look for another central defender.

Just when Potter thought his afternoon had become painful enough, Kilman gave the ball away before Fabianski brought down Nketiah in the penalty area and let Mateta’s penalty curl beneath his body.

“You’re going to be sacked tomorrow morning,” the jubilant Palace fans chanted as the full-time whistle blew.

Potter may not be in any danger of that yet, but this was a great example of how managing West Ham can quickly put you back down to earth.