Crystal Palace 0-3 Huddersfield Town: Terriers enjoy dream Premier League debut as Joel Ward own goal and Steve Mounie double earn win at Selhurst Park

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Ask David Wagner, and the Huddersfield Town boss will insist his team are the biggest underdogs in Premier League history. The bookmakers say so too, with them odds-on to drop down.

Yet so comfortable was this win over Crystal Palace, the away supporters in the corner of Selhurst Park seized their opportunity in the second half. 'On our way, on our way, to the Champions League, we're on our way,' they sang, before belting out: 'We are top of the league.'

That they are. This was a sure start for Huddersfield, which largely came courtesy of their club-record £11.5million signing Steve Mounie.

Huddersfield Town became the first Premier League side to score their first league strike via an own goal at Selhurst Park

The Terriers were in dreamland when Steve Mounie's header put them 2-0 up away to Crystal Palace on 26 minutes

Mounie put the icing on the cake in the second half, finishing off Collin Quaner's pass to complete a perfect afternoon

LINE UPS, LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE 

CRYSTAL PALACE (3-4-3): Hennessey 5; Fosu-Mensah 5 (Tomkins 78), Dann 5, Riedewald 5; Ward 5, Milivojevic 5 (Townsend 45, 6), Puncheon 5.5, Van Aanholt 5.5; Zaha 6.5, Benteke 5.5, Loftus-Cheek 6

Subs not used: Speroni, Lee, Schlupp, Ladapo, Eyenga-Lokilo

Manager: Frank de Boer 5

Booked: Puncheon 88

HUDDERSFIELD (4-2-3-1): Lossi 7.5; Smith 7 (Williams 57, 6), Jorgensen 7.5, Schindler 7, Lowe 6.5; Mooy 8.5, Billing 6.5; Kachunga 6.5, Palmer 6.5 (Quaner 72, 6), Ince 7.5; Mounie 9 (La Parra 86)

Subs not used: Coleman, Malone, Depoitre, Hefele

Goals: Ward og 24, Mounie 26, 78

Booked: Smith 28, Palmer 60, Mounie 73

Manager: David Wagner 7

Referee: Jon Moss 6

MOTM: Steve Mounie 

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Steve Mounie put Huddersfield in dreamland with a debut goal, powerfully heading in Aaron Mooy's perfect cross. For more statistics, graphics and facts from all our Premier League games visit our exclusive MATCH ZONE service here.

 

 

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It is one down, 37 games to go. Wagner isn't getting over excited and he laughed off the fact that Huddersfield, technically, are now the top team in England.

'You cannot moan about something if you play your first Premier League game in history, your first in the top flight after 45 years and you win 3-0 against Crystal Palace away,' Wagner said.

'We will not change our identity because we are now in the Premier League. We want to stick to what we've done in the past because I think it makes more sense.

'We are still progressing, we still have to improve. This is just one game. We don't have to send statements to pundits. We just like to be focused on ourselves. What pundits say… that's their job, they have to say something. We accept it. It doesn't change how we work.'

As for Frank de Boer, he has work to do. Beaten by two crosses then a counter-attack, Sam Allardyce would have been appalled.

It was an own goal by Joel Ward then two from Mounie that gave Huddersfield a fine welcome to top-flight football after a 45-year wait. Indeed their last win at this level was in November 1971.

Though the home side looked comfortable, with Wilfried Zaha a particular threat when not being perpetually fouled, it was Huddersfield who went closest with their chances.

The breakthrough – and a historic first goal in the Premier League for the Yorkshire club – came in the 23rd minute.

Huddersfield celebrate the own goal scored by Joel Ward (far left), who turned the ball into the net after a scramble

Palace were unable to react following Christopher Schindler's flick on, and the Terriers got the goal their start had deserved

Mounie, a summer signing from Montpellier, slammed a perfect header into the top corner following Aaron Mooy's cross

A corner by Aaron Mooy saw Chris Schindler help it to the back post, where Mathias Jorgensen was waiting. His shot hit off Ward for an own goal.

Three minutes later, it was 2-0, and this time they scored it themselves. Another cross by Mooy led to a giant leap by Mounie, who used his head while his Palace markers scratched theirs.

Suddenly, this Premier League malarkey was looking a piece of cake.

Though two goals to the good, Palace were still a threat, as Zaha squandered a one-on-one opportunity in the 37th minute when Jonas Lossl saved his shot with a trailing leg.

Boos rang around Selhurst Park at half time, and De Boer had work to do.

The home side were knocking on the door in the second half and a thunderous header by Christian Benteke looked destined to make it 2-1, only for Lossl to beat it away. He was in one of those moods.

It should have been 3-0, done and dusted when Mounie had only Wayne Hennessey to beat in the 63rd minute. The 22-year-old striker took too long and it allowed Manchester United loanee Timothy Fosu-Mensah to deny him with a last-ditch tackle.

Then, it was indeed made three with 10 minutes to go. A counter-attack saw Collin Quaner square the ball to Mounie, who hit a wicked right-footed shot beyond Hennessey.

Job done, and Huddersfield’s full squad celebrated by approaching their 3,000-strong away support to take a bow. Next up, Newcastle United at home this weekend. 

Huddersfield scored again within two minutes, Mounie rising highest under minimal marking as Palace looked ragged

Mounie celebrates his second, as new boys Huddersfield went top of the Premier League at 5pm on the opening day

The 22-year-old Benin international adapted to Premier League life after his transfer from Ligue 1 with impressive ease

Tom Ince had a chance early on to put the visitors into a quick lead, but was denied by Eagles keeper Wayne Hennessey

Palace improved after half time, but were denied when Jonas Lossl made a brilliant save from Christian Benteke's header

Huddersfield were playing in the top flight for the first time since 1976 and their fans, young and old, enjoyed the day

Palace's 'Ultras' section made a great deal of noise and colour pre-match, but will not have been pleased by their team

David Wagner, manager of Huddersfield, watches on having guided them to promotion via the Championship play-offs

Frank de Boer was overseeing his first game as Palace manager, having succeeded Sam Allardyce during the summer break