It might not have been matched by a fitting result, but Jefferson Lerma's superb goal against Chelsea made history as Crystal Palace's 1000th goal in the top-flight.
The Colombia international's first goal for the club was a brilliant one – a scorching strike from distance – to rack up the all-time club milestone.
Palace have been adding to their tally since the first promotion to the top-flight in 1969 under Bert Head – and here is how we got there…
Crystal Palace 2-2 Manchester United (9th August 1969)
Where it all started.
How better for the Glaziers to celebrate their historic first promotion to the promised land than by welcoming the so-called ‘Holy Trinity’ of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton?
This was a Manchester United team that had written themselves into immortality by becoming the first English side to win the European Cup just 18-months earlier, beating Eusebio’s Benfica at Wembley, but now they were a side in transition, and they found Head’s Crystal Palace a sterner task.
Entering their first season without Sir Matt Busby at the helm since 1945. The legendary Scot had stepped down after 24 silverware-laden years at Old Trafford, guiding the club through the tragedy of the Munich Air Disaster in 1958 to that maiden European Cup triumph a decade later.
The two sides had last faced one another in Division Two in 1925, but this was a different proposition all together.
As is so often the case in Palace’s history, they refused to let the underdogs tag get the better of them. The late, great Mel Blyth put the hosts ahead after just 11 minutes, forever etching his name into history as the club’s first top-flight goalscorer.
Bobby Charlton equalised soon after, but Palace went ahead again just before half-time via Gerry Queen.
Unfortunately holding on for a famous victory proved too much, with Willie Morgan’s second-half equaliser meaning the points were shared.
Crystal Palace were on the board in the top-flight for the first time, and Blyth was – not for the first or last time in his illustrious Palace career – the man of the hour.
Crystal Palace 2-2 Coventry City (12th February 1972)
It took just two-and-a-half years for Palace to go from 0 to 100, and this time Gerry Queen was the man in the right place at the right time to write his name into the history books.
It was a dramatic goal, too: a late equaliser to snatch a draw, after John Craven’s opener had been cancelled out by two Coventry goals in quick succession.
Palace survived that season by just four points, and in December of the same year would record one of their greatest triumphs: a 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Selhurst Park.
Gerry Queen holds a special place in Palace’s top-flight history, with his 25 goals in the First Division bettered by only five players: Ian Wright, Luka Milivojevic, Christian Benteke, Mark Bright and Wilfried Zaha.
Crystal Palace 5-2 Middlesbrough (23rd August 1980)
Clive Allen can feel rightly hard done by that he scored a hat-trick in this game and yet it is Tony Sealy who scored Palace’s landmark 200th top-flight goal.
After Allen had opened the scoring, Middlesbrough hit back and led at the break. Sealy was introduced from the bench to replace Stephen Leahy and made an instant impact, scoring the equaliser.
Allen added two more to complete his hat-trick, one from the spot, before Gerry Francis completed a five-star afternoon for the men from south London, leaving manager Terry Venables in no doubt about the quality of his young side.
Crystal Palace 4-3 Millwall (21st October 1989)
He was always going to appear in this list, wasn’t he?
Wrighty proved too good for Millwall, scoring a brace as the Eagles recovered from a defensive calamity just six minutes in to claim all three points, with Mark Bright bagging a couple for himself as the Eagles edged a seven-goal thriller.
Mark Bright will feel disappointed not to appear on this list in his own right…
Crystal Palace 4-3 Wimbledon (27th October 1990)
… but not for long!
He was always going to appear on this list wasn’t he? Yes, you did just read that a moment ago, but it applies just as much here.
Remarkably, it came in another 4-3 win at Selhurst Park. Steve Coppell’s side made it difficult for themselves once again, falling behind to Wimbledon after just nine minutes before hitting back through Geoff Thomas, John Humphrey and Andy Gray.
After John Fashanu gave the Dons hope in the final 10 minutes, Brighty popped up to put the result beyond any doubt… for a bit. Wimbledon added a third of their own late on but the Eagles still secured all three points.
Coventry City 2-2 Crystal Palace (3rd October 1992)
Chris Coleman became the unlikely hero, notching the Eagles’ 400th top-flight goal – and this time away from Selhurst Park.
It was another breathless start, as Andy Pearce put the Sky Blues ahead just seven minutes in, before Coleman equalised just two minutes later.
Kevin Gallagher and Eddie McGoldrick added to the scoreline for their respective clubs, with the match finishing all square in the inaugural Premier League season.
Bolton Wanderers 5-2 Crystal Palace (2nd May 1998)
To quote Jon Bon Jovi: we’re halfway there.
A result fans will have been keen to forget at the time, but the scene of a significant milestone nonetheless.
After falling behind seven minutes in, Dean Gordon latched on to Sasa Curcic’s assist to equalise, scoring the club’s 500th top-flight goal in the process.
The Eagles then moved ahead through Marcus Bent just eight minutes later, before the hosts recovered to take all three points – with Palace down to 10 men thanks to Valerien Ismael’s red card.
Crystal Palace 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (10th January 2015)
A full 17 years separated Palace’s 500th from their 600th, but with the Eagles earning their Premier League place back in 2013, they soon began to stabilise as a top-flight fixture, and under Alan Pardew another milestone was reached.
It was a significant goal, too. After a young striker called Harry Kane (whatever happened to him) put Spurs ahead, Joe Ledley was fouled and Dwight Gayle equalised from the spot.
Palace pushed on after drawing level, with Jason Puncheon making it a memorable afternoon by scoring a late winner just 10 minutes from time.
The result moved Palace out of the relegation zone, and survival was within reach.
West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Crystal Palace (3rd April 2017)
Townsend has a significant claim to have scored the best goal on this list.
After Wilfried Zaha’s emphatic finish had put the Eagles ahead, chesting Yohan Cabaye’s ball down and smashing past Ben Foster, Townsend took matters into his own hands.
Racing forwards from next to his own penalty area, he was lacking support so decided to go alone, rounding the defender and curling past the ‘keeper before falling down in an exhausted heap by way of celebration.
It was one of the finest goals scored by any player for any side that season.
Crystal Palace 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (14th April 2018)
Another action-packed thriller, but one which will live long in the memory.
It was very much a game of two halves, the first an end-to-end rollercoaster with five goals and plenty more chances, the second a tense and tight tactical battle as the Eagles looked to hold on to an important victory.
After Wilfried Zaha had opened the scoring just five minutes in, James Tomkins added a second for Palace, scoring the club’s 750th goal in the process.
Glenn Murray hit back for the visitors, before Zaha added a second and, despite Jose Izquierdo’s goal, Palace held on for all three points.
“We did it the easy way in the first-half but the hard way in the second,” said Roy Hodgson after full-time.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Manchester City (14th April 2019)
A consolation, perhaps, but an important goal nonetheless.
The club captain was reliable once again from the spot, slotting home past Ederson, but unable to prevent Pep Guardiola’s side from claiming all three points thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling.
Palace had stunned City at the Etihad a few months earlier, including a remarkable Andros Townsend volley, but there was to be no repeat this time around.
Burnley 3-3 Crystal Palace (20th November 2021)
Only Wilfried Zaha (68) and Mark Bright (39) scored more than Christian Benteke’s 35 top-flight goals for Crystal Palace, so its only right that he appears on this list.
It’s yet another thriller, this time six goals shared at Turf Moor. Benteke scored the first, before Ben Mee and Chris Wood put Burnley in front. Benteke’s second and a rare Marc Guéhi strike saw Palace lead at half-time, but Maxwel Cornet equalised soon after the restart to see the points shared.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Chelsea (12th February 2024)
In the end, a final score which did not match the game that preceded it at Selhurst Park – but an occasion for the history books following Lerma's moment of brilliance.
The midfielder's first goal for the club was an unforgettable one; Lerma won possession off Moisés Caicedo, took a touch inside, lined up his sights – and rifled in the most sensational of strikes from 30 yards.
A moment of brilliance which set Selhurst Park alight – and one unlikely to be forgotten any time soon, despite the eventual result.
