Mateta gives Crystal Palace Carabao Cup double against Norwich | Carabao Cup

Who needs a summer break? It was less than two weeks ago that Jean-Philippe Mateta scored in the Olympic final for France and the Crystal Palace striker picked up where he left off last season by scoring his first two goals of the new campaign in what proved to be a comfortable win over Norwich.

Mateta’s tally of 16 last season was the highest by a Palace player since a certain Andy Johnson 20 years ago, but with the expected arrival of Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal for £30m, he could pose a potential threat to his status as Oliver Glasner’s favoured leading man. After setting up Daichi Kamada for the opener in a blazing start for the hosts, the 27-year-old found the net twice in the space of a few minutes in the second half – the first a superb volley – before Eberechi Eze added a fourth late on to see off Norwich’s spirited challenge.

Two defeats at the start of the new Premier League campaign prompted Glasner to name a strong team, with Cheick Doucoure returning after a nine-month absence and Sam Johnstone on the bench, despite Palace holding talks with Wolves over a potential permanent move for the England goalkeeper. Whether Marc Guéhi will remain at Selhurst Park remains uncertain – especially after new signing Chadi Riad limped off after just 10 minutes with a suspected ankle injury – with Newcastle expected to return with a fifth bid before Friday’s deadline. But the England defender took his place at the heart of Palace’s defence to face their Championship opponents.

Norwich have also not had the best start to the season under Johannes Hoff Thorup – a 35-year-old with just 18 months in charge of Danish side Nordsjælland under his belt – and have yet to taste a league victory under their new manager. It took just over 90 seconds for Palace to expose the defensive frailties of a team that made seven changes from their draw with Sheffield United on Saturday. Kamada was played on by Mateta and slalomed around George Long to score his first Palace goal.

Norwich should have been level when teenager Gabriel Forsyth somehow managed to hit the outside of the post from four yards after Dean Henderson had saved Ante Crnac’s shot. But there was bad news for Palace when Riad limped down the tunnel after colliding with Onel Hernández in the build-up, quickly followed by Norwich’s Amankwah Forson – another summer signing from RB Salzburg – clutching his collarbone.

Eze was at his most creative and was disappointed when his lob was ruled out for a marginal offside position. However, the vociferous contingent of Norwich fans who had made the journey from Norfolk will have been encouraged by the way their team dealt with the Palace threat for much of the first half. Only a last-ditch effort from Guéhi could stop a beautifully flowing counter-attack from the visitors that began at the feet of Long and easily evaded Palace’s pressure.

Guéhi had to be alert again after the break when he blocked a shot on target from Crnac as Norwich started the second half strongly. An Eze free-kick that went over the bar was inches away from being converted at the other end.

The home crowd’s frustration was just beginning to mount when Kamada slotted the ball into the box and Mateta turned brilliantly to volley the ball into the net. Eze was next to try his luck with an acrobatic effort as Palace tried to settle the match, but it took a double save from Henderson to stop efforts from Crnac and substitute Oscar Schwartau. Any hopes of a comeback were dashed a few minutes later when Mateta slotted home his second from a clever cutback from Eze.

Substitute Ismaïla Sarr could have made the score even more exciting in the closing stages, but shot wide from close range before his deflection of a clever shot from Eze eventually had an effect.