Chris Richards believes Crystal Palace's 3-0 away win against Aston Villa set the tone for the rest of the season. The win also extended Crystal Palace's excellent record against Villa, with the club unbeaten in their last six meetings.  

Aston Villa hadn't lost at home in the Premier League for over a year, but they struggled to break down Dean Henderson's goal. Crystal Palace's defence, aided by the impressive performances of Chris Richards and his team, held firm, allowing Aston Villa only the occasional chance.  

Chris Richards said: "We know that no matter where we are, the team always wants to win. We will not pay too much attention to the results, but I am very happy to break Aston Villa's unbeaten home record. In addition, I think it is an important sign to enter the international competition window with this victory."  

“Our primary goal is to keep clean sheets so that the forwards can better utilise their abilities. But to achieve this, it requires the combined efforts of the entire team. Although we defenders are willing to take responsibility for this, it obviously starts from the top of the team.”  

All three of Crystal Palace's goals were the result of excellent teamwork, with Marc Guehi's strike being particularly stunning. His curling effort was a perfect finish that any striker would have been proud of.  

He continued: "I wasn't sure the ball was going to go in, so it was an emotional moment when it did. I would say it was a Ronaldo-esque piece of skill, it was truly spectacular. He's our captain for a reason and I'm really happy for him today."