The visitors, desperate for a response from a 5-0 Boxing Day mauling against Arsenal, fielded a starting XI who had not mustered a single Premier League goal between them this season. Dean Smith made three changes to his line-up, but it made little difference as Palace raced into a 1-0 lead after just eight minutes as Édouard converted from the penalty spot after Will Hughes was brought down in the box.
Top scorers Conor Gallagher and Wilfried Zaha were missing for the hosts, but they still posed a threat with every attack. They eventually doubled their lead when Mateta rounded off a rapid counter attack by expertly finding the far corner from ten yards, and a third came shortly afterwards as Jeffrey Schlupp smashed home from a tight angle.
Przemysław Płacheta had a shot saved and Sam Byram hit the bar before the break as Norwich searched for a response, while goalkeeper Angus Gunn made a couple of terrific stops from Schlupp and Mateta at the other end after HT.
The ‘Canaries’ were much better in the second half, but in truth the writing had been on the wall from the moment they went behind. They remain the team with the worst away record in the top flight and have still only scored just three times on their travels, a statistic not helped by Placheta having a fierce drive superbly saved by Vicente Guaita or Pierre Lees-Melou firing over.
There was to be no consolation goal as Norwich slipped to a fifth successive defeat, while Palace, who had a late Christian Benteke strike ruled out for offside, move up to ninth.
