It won’t be long until Jean-Philippe Mateta is back in action for Crystal Palace, and he will have a point to prove. The French striker failed to secure a much-desired deadline-day move to AC Milan in January.
Mateta failed a medical with the Serie A giants, and they pulled the plug on a £30m deal. The 28-year-old returned to Selhurst Park with his tail between his legs after pushing to leave the club.
Palace still went ahead with the club-record £48m signing of Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Norwegian has made a promising start with the Eagles and will be eager to continue leading the line, even when Mateta returns.
With that said, ReadCrystalPalace have assessed the two frontmen’s Premier League contributions this season and decided which of them should be Oliver Glasner’s starting centre-forward. That will be a decision the Austrian will have to make once Mateta returns from injury.
Shooting Statistics
One of Mateta and Strand Larsen’s best attributes is their finishing abilities. They are traditional target men who are often found in the box by a cross and have little trouble finding the back of the net.
Mateta comes out on top and understandably so, given Strand Larsen spent the majority of this campaign at rock-bottom Wolves. That said, the Frenchman only betters the Norwegian by two goals that weren’t from the penalty spot.
When it comes to taking aim at a goal, it’s Mateta who is willing to take more risks. He has spent his Selhurst Park career letting fly even from outside the box, and it’s unsurprising to see him superior in this department.
Strand Larsen struggles to find the target, which Glasner might take into consideration. The pair’s conversation percentages are close, with the Frenchman just slightly more consistent.
| Shooting Stats: | Mateta | Strand Larsen |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 8 | 4 |
| Non-penalty goals | 5 | 3 |
| Penalty goals | 3 | 1 |
| Total shots: | 2.3 | 1.2 |
| Shots on target per game: | 1.1 | 0.4 |
| Goal conversion: | 15% | 13% |
Creative Statistics
Mateta and Strand Larsen are handy for bringing others into play and linking up well with wingers. But when it comes to assisting their teammates, only the Eagles’ club record signing can boast doing so.
That doesn’t mean Mateta isn’t creative, as he has created more big chances than his new teammate. But the 26-year-old is a superior passer, and this has been on display in recent wins over Wolves (1-0) and Tottenham Hotspur (3-1).
Glasner will benefit from having two frontmen who use their power and height effectively. What the statistics show is that they likely wouldn’t make for a good pairing.
| Creativity Stats | Mateta | Strand Larsen |
|---|---|---|
| Assists | 0 | 1 |
| Big chances created | 2 | 1 |
| Passing accuracy (%) | 7.2 (62%) | 8.9 (66%) |
| Long passing accuracy (%) | 0.5 (61%) | 0.2 (42%) |
| Accurate passes (opp half) | 4.6 (54%) | 5.7 (61%) |
| Key passes: | 0.3 | 0.3 |
Possession Statistics
Glasner’s brand of football is often reliant on aggressive counter-attacking. It’s not often that his team are required to dominate the ball, and as such, the striker can sometimes be rarely involved.
Mateta does like to influence proceedings and sometimes drops deep to collect the ball and work with fellow attackers in transition. He is statistically superior to Strand Larsen in possession.
That includes ground duels and in the air, and his aerial prowess has been a major asset for the Eagles. Three of his eight league goals have been headers, while Strand Larsen’s only managed one, which came in the 3-2 defeat to Burnley.
| Possession Stats | Mateta | Strand Larsen |
|---|---|---|
| Touches | 25.5 | 22.7 |
| Successful dribbles | 0.6 (47%) | 0.2 (33%) |
| Ground duels won: | 1.6 (33%) | 1.1 (26%) |
| Aerial duels won: | 2.5 (41%) | 2.3 (41%) |
| Possession lost | 9.4 | 8.1 |
Verdict
Glasner will be pleased that he has two of the Premier League’s toughest target men to choose from. If Mateta can stay fit for the rest of the season, it bodes well for the Eagles in their bid to win the Europa Conference League.
The statistics speak for themselves, and Mateta remains the better striker at this stage, but there will be question marks over his commitment. If he is at his best, there should be little doubt that he takes the number nine starting role from Strand Larsen.
Strand Larsen will be leading the line for Palace for years to come, and Mateta looks likely to leave this summer. There’s no better way for him to bid farewell than to fire Glasner’s side to European glory.
All statistics courtesy of SofaScore – correct as of 09/03/2026
