Palace had one of the best away records in the division but rarely showed they were worthy of the title.
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Wayne Hennessey’s bad gaffe handed Villa the point and it is a moment the Wales global will want to forget.
It didn’t always look like it was going to work either, as Palace hit the woodwork before manager Alan Pardew was even able to get comfortable in his seat.
Pardew was clearly unhappy with what he was seeing from his side and Villa were growing in confidence as they chased only their second win in 21 games.
Ayew joined Aston Villa last summer from French Ligue 1 sude Lorient as a replacement for Christian Benteke and has netted six goals in the EPL despite starting poorly.
His introduction to Premier League management has been a grisly experience and he has inherited a mess, an unbalanced squad and an absentee owner.
Crystal Palace assistant manager Keith Millen insists they are not expecting as easy ride when they visit hapless Aston Villa tonight.
‘But not only the victory, the way we played tonight I didn’t see a bottom team.
Prior to this game, Villa had only kept two clean sheets in the Premier League all season but Palace, who had only lost twice away from home, rarely threatened and Garde’s side held firm for a potentially vital victory.
It is the first time Villa have won at home in the league in eight months, stretching back to a time when Tim Sherwood was in charge, an FA Cup final was on the horizon and optimism was in the air.
“A lot of things went wrong today”, said Pardew. That said, they still created the better openings of the first half.
Villa host second-placed Leicester on Saturday. Cutting inside from the left, he curled the ball around Bunn but on to the far post.
Palace went close again just seven minutes later, but Damien Delaney could only steer his shot wide from Yohan Cabaye’s free-kick. Joleon Lescott rose highest from a corner, but struggled to get much power on his header, which was straight at Hennessey.
Wayne Rooney completed a brace with a stunning 79th-minute goal to put United 3-2 up, after a 2-0 advantage procured by goals from himself and Jesse Lingard had been wiped out by Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
With Palace unable to generate any attacking momentum, Villa looked comfortable with their lead and might have had a second goal when Ayew jinked wonderfully between Joel Ward and Puncheon but drove his shot over the crossbar.
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The visitors will have to make do without the services of Dwight Gayle and Yannick Bolasie who will both be unavailable.
