Crystal Palace thump Aston Villa to reach FA Cup final, Ipswich relegated from EPL

Aston Villa’s FA Cup dreams have come to a bitter end at the hands of Crystal Palace, while the final team to be relegated from the Premier League this season has been confirmed.

Crystal Palace reached the FA Cup final for the first time in nine years as Ismaila Sarr’s double and a rocket from Eberechi Eze sealed a 3-0 win against Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday.

Oliver Glasner’s side took the lead in the semi-final through Eze’s long-range blast before Sarr netted twice in the second half.

In the final on May 17, Palace will face Nottingham Forest or Manchester City, who meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.

The Eagles have never won the FA Cup, losing their two final appearances against Manchester United in 2016 and 1990.

“All the credit to the players. They had to work so hard. They had to overcome a few difficult moments,” Glasner said.

“We got more control and it was an unbelievable performance. The players stuck to the plan and we never lost our heads.

“I don’t know at the moment how I feel – a bit exhausted. The players have four days off now. They should enjoy the moment.”

Villa, who last won the FA Cup in 1957, were hoping to make the final for the first time since 2015.

But Unai Emery’s team produced a dismal display and will have to settle for fighting to qualify for the Champions League via a top five finish in the Premier League.

“When they scored the first goal it was more difficult for us and we only reacted after 2-0 and then we created more chances to score and we didn’t do. In transition they are very good, and they deserve to win,” Emery said.

“Sorry to our supporters because they were motivated. We have to accept it. We have to be quick to react because in the league we have the most important objective.”

Jean-Philippe Mateta had the ball in the back of the net just before the half-hour mark, but it was chalked off after a VAR check confirmed the Palace striker had fouled Ezri Konsa in the build-up.

There was no such doubt about Eze’s opener, however, after Sarr got in the way of Pau Torres’ pass, then collected the resulting ricochet to the right of the Villa area.

Sarr found Eze and the midfielder curled a superb strike beyond the reach of Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Torres looked for an instant reply when he nodded just over the crossbar. Konsa came closer, forcing Dean Henderson into a low save with a header of his own from a corner.

Villa piled on more pressure after the restart when Henderson made another fine save to deny John McGinn’s sharp volley, then Lucas Digne fired narrowly wide through a crowd of players.

Palace were awarded a 53rd-minute penalty after Eze was tugged down by Boubacar Kamara and Mateta stepped up to the spot after a VAR check, but his shot clipped the post and went wide.

Just as Villa started to gain momentum, Adam Wharton intercepted a pass and, after a quick touch from Mateta, Sarr fired into the bottom corner.

Henderson repelled a blast from Villa substitute Leon Bailey, moments after Mateta slid in to deny Ross Barkley.

Sarr nodded Eze’s cross off target, while Matty Cash’s attempt to claw a late goal back for Villa sailed wide.

Sarr put the seal on Palace’s impressive performance in stoppage-time, outpacing Konsa before slotting home to send the Eagles into the final.

IPSWICH RELEGATED, NEWCASTLE AND BLUES WIN

Ipswich were relegated from the Premier League after slumping to a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle, while Chelsea kept alive their hopes of a top five finish with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday.

Emblematic of the self-inflicted wounds that hampered Ipswich this season, Kieran McKenna’s side had Ben Johnson sent off in the 37th minute for two bookings in quick succession at St James’ Park.

Newcastle’s Alexander Isak converted a penalty after Jacob Murphy was fouled by Julio Enciso in first half stoppage-time.

Dan Burn’s 56th-minute header doubled Newcastle’s lead and William Osula’s 80th-minute goal left Ipswich with no chance of beating the drop.

Ipswich Town’s relegation has been confirmed. Picture: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Third-bottom Ipswich are 15 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham with four games left, ensuring their first season in the top-flight for 22 years will end with an immediate return to the Championship.

Out of their depth among the Premier League elite, Ipswich have won just four of their 34 league games.

Their relegation alongside Southampton and Leicester, who were both already condemned to the drop, means all three promoted sides will be back in the second tier next season.

Ipswich’s fairytale rise to the Premier League had captured the hearts of football romantics after their successive promotions from League One and the Championship.

McKenna, 38, had earned plaudits for Ipswich’s attacking style during their surge up the divisions after his appointment in 2021.

But the former Manchester United assistant coach was unable to preserve Ipswich’s top-flight status.

Newcastle now sit third in the Premier League. Picture: Paul Ellis/AFP

“We’ve been through it the last few weeks, we knew it was pretty likely. At the end we have fallen short but it’s not for lack of effort,” McKenna said.

“We know there’s a time for reflection. Today the mathematical completion doesn’t change too much. We’ve been through the emotions.”

Newcastle climb to third place as the League Cup winners eye Champions League qualification.

Enzo Maresca saluted Chelsea’s “nasty” performance after a gritty success that kept them in the hunt for a Champions League berth.

Nicolas Jackson struck for the first time since December to seal a vital victory at Stamford Bridge.

The Senegal striker’s first-half blast from 20 yards moved Chelsea into fifth place with four games left.

Chelsea’s third win in their last five league matches eased the pressure on Blues boss Maresca, who has come under fire for his team’s cautious tactics during their slump in the second half of the season.

Nicolas Jackson puts it perfectly in the corner and Chelsea lead Everton 👊

It’s his first goal in four months and it couldn’t have been hit better.

Watch 📺 https://t.co/rVMnYQDAl2pic.twitter.com/mBTPht3MDe

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 26, 2025

“First half we controlled the game, we dominated, created chances and didn’t concede nothing. Then second half we dropped a little bit,” he said.

“We were strong, nasty enough when we needed to be like that. Overall I think we deserved to win and we are happy.”

Ryan Sessegnon struck in stoppage-time as Fulham won 2-1 at Southampton to stop the hosts moving past the record-low Premier League points total.

Jack Stephens’ 14th-minute opener had Southampton on course for a first home league victory since November, but Emile Smith Rowe levelled for Fulham after 72 minutes.

A draw would have helped Southampton move onto 12 points and avoid Derby’s unwanted lowest-ever Premier League points total of 11 from the 2007-08 season, only for Sessegnon to net in the final seconds.

Brighton reignited their European push by piling more misery on former manager Graham Potter with a dramatic 3-2 victory over West Ham at the Amex Stadium.

Can you 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐚 it?! 😱

Carlos Baleba wins it for Brighton in the 92nd minute, after Kaoru Mitoma equalised for the Seagulls just minutes earlier.

What a finish at the Amex. pic.twitter.com/dw4NQev1kj

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 26, 2025

Potter, who left Albion to join Chelsea in 2022, saw Mohammed Kudus and Tomas Soucek put the Hammers ahead after Yasin Ayari’s opener for Brighton.

But Kaoru Mitoma headed the Seagulls level in the 89th minute before Carlos Baleba sensationally curled home from distance in stoppage-time.

Brighton ended a five-match winless run, while West Ham’s dismal streak extended to a seventh game without victory.

Wolves claimed a club record-equalling sixth successive top-flight win as they put relegated Leicester to the sword with a 3-0 victory at Molineux.

Matheus Cunha, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Rodrigo Gomes scored for Wolves, who last won six in a row in the top-flight in 1970, while second-bottom Leicester’s winless run stretched to 11 matches.

Originally published as Crystal Palace thump Aston Villa to reach FA Cup final, Ipswich relegated from EPL