Crystal Palace 2-0 West Brom: Wilfried Zaha keeps Eagles flying high in the Premier League

A Wilfried Zaha-inspired Crystal Palace continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 home win against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday lunchtime.

The Eagles took all three points thanks to Yannick Bolasie's close-range header midway through the second half and a late Yohan Cabaye penalty.

And the win moved Alan Pardew's side up to third place in the Premier League even after the afternoon fixtures, while West Brom boss Tony Pulis tasted defeat on his return to south-east London.

Palace were still without the likes of Connor Wickham, Mile Jedinak, Damien Delaney and Joel Ward, while midfielder Joe Ledley was only named as a substitute.

Meanwhile, the visitors were able to field the same lineup that began their recent league win at Aston Villa, meaning both Gareth McAuley and Salomon Rondon were passed fit, although Jonas Olsson's groin problem kept him out of the game.

The Swede's absence at the back was then further compounded when centre-back Jonny Evans was forced off midway through the first half with a hamstring tweak, making the Northern Ireland international a doubt for his country's key European Championship qualifier at home to Greece on Thursday.

However, it was down the left-hand side of the visitors' back line, rather than the centre, where Palace were creating most problems in the first half, with right-winger Zaha in particular causing opposite number Chris Brunt a headache with his pace and trickery.

The England winger gave an early warning to West Brom after dragging a shot wide of Boaz Myhill's near post following one mazy dribble, before the 22-year-old turned Brunt inside out, only for Myhill to beat away his well-struck effort just past the half-hour mark.

And Zaha produced a similar move four minutes before half-time, but again the Baggies' goalkeeper stood tall to repel the wide man's drive as the two teams went in level at the interval.

West Brom's back four had looked well drilled in the opening 45 minutes, as one would expect from a team coached by Pulis and who had kept four clean sheets in the Premier League this season.

Palace, though, would argue they should have been awarded a penalty after 36 minutes when Dwight Gayle was bundled over in the area following a clumsy challenge from Brunt.

The home side were also shouting for a spot kick midway through the second half when substitute Craig Gardner - a half-time replacement for striker Saido Berahino - handled Cabaye's free kick in the area, but again referee Jonathan Moss waved away their protests.

But Palace's disappointment was soon forgotten when Bolasie - fresh off the back of signing a new three-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park - broke the deadlock after 68 minutes, the first time West Brom had let in a goal on their travels in the Premier League this campaign.

Palace worked a corner short to Jason Puncheon, who then cleverly found Cabaye and the Frenchman's inch-perfect, curling cross from the left-hand edge of the area was headed in at the back post by Bolasie, the DR Congo winger's first goal in front of his own fans since January 2013.

The points were wrapped up with two minutes to go when man-of-the-match Zaha's driving run into the area was ended by Brunt's foul, with Cabaye converting the resulting spot kick for his second penalty in a week.

And with 60 per cent possession and 21 shots on goal in the match, Pardew's men were fully deserving of their victory.

Player ratings

Crystal Palace: Hennessey (6), Kelly (6), Hangeland (6), Dann (7), Souare (6), McArthur (6), Cabaye (7), Zaha (9), Puncheon (7), Bolasie (8), Gayle (6).
Subs used: Ledley (6), Campbell (6)

West Brom: Myhill (7), McAuley (7), Evans (6), Dawson (6), Morrison (6), Fletcher (7), Yacob (6), Brunt (5), McClean (6), Rondon (5), Berahino (6)
Subs used: Chester (6), Gardner (6), McManaman (6)

Man of the Match: Wilfried Zaha