Justin Devenny topped off the fortnight of his life at Villa Park on Saturday, netting his first Premier League goal.

The 21-year-old’s whirlwind month began when he was awarded his first Premier League start by Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner in the Eagles’ 2-0 defeat to Fulham.

His debut, while not magnificent, had promising signs. By all accounts, Palace were below par against Fulham, with the isolated positive being Devenny’s performance.

Devenny’s display against the Cottagers was encouraging enough to catch the eye of Michael O’Neill, who bumped the midfielder up to the Northern Ireland senior squad as a late inclusion.

Patience was required in camp; the 2003-born prospect was left out of the matchday squad to face Belarus in the Nations League before being awarded his international debut in the final minutes of Northern Ireland’s draw against Luxembourg.

However, for all the milestones the Scottish-born Northern Ireland international has reached this November, the most significant came when he dispatched his first Premier League goal to give Crystal Palace the lead against Aston Villa.

His exquisite finish perfectly epitomised a frantic couple of minutes in the Midlands. Will Hughes conceded a dubious penalty, which Dean Henderson saved to deny Villa the lead. Soon after, Palace broke. Ismaila Sarr put his head down and hammered towards goal, reaching the box, he found Devenny, who slotted away a first-time effort with his weak foot.

While Villa went on to equalise and the spoils were shared, the moment was truly iconic and will stick with Devenny for life. The knee slide in front of the Holt End, the pure jubilation and the away fans bestowing an honourary “he’s one of our own chant” upon the Kilmarnock Academy product. 

Besides the excellent goal, there was a lot to like from Devenny’s display. Against Fulham, he played as one of the holding midfielders, while on Saturday, he showed versatility and confidence to adapt to a different role - deployed as a ten. 

He has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, backing his ability against football’s elite. It is too early to make any projections about the future, but he certainly has potential. 

Devenny’s game is elegant. In his first two Premier League outings, he has shown competency in possession and ability from dead-ball situations while having a good finish, as he exhibited at Villa Park. 

In a season where Palace are limited for numbers within the squad, Devenny’s adjustability could be useful for the rest of the campaign. Not only does the midfielder possess creativity, but he is also capable defensively. He’s a good option for Glasner to have at his disposal. 

Like any 21-year-old, of course, he is nowhere near the finished article, but his senior experience in the lower echelons of Scottish football has certainly given him a bit more bite to his game than some of the other prospects at Palace.

For the midfielder, it has been an exciting period, and long may that continue. Assessing the wider picture, Devenny is one of the first players to rise from the academy into the first team since Palace became a category one academy. His ascendancy points to a bright future, not just for him, but for the football club.

Post-match, Oliver Glasner heaped praise upon Devenny: “He’s from Northern Ireland and had the words in the dressing room after the game, because he scored, but I didn’t understand anything.

“He’s an unbelievable footballer. Very technical, and can also run a lot. He can play in four different positions in the system. Last game, he played a bit deeper as a six, but we can also use him as a ten because he understands the game and finds the space. He can also score goals, this is what he showed today. 

“We were very confident starting him. He is a very good player. Like always, if a player shows it in training then he gets a chance. He deserves it. 

“A player with his quality, who works so hard, will get the rewards. But he is still at the beginning, we keep him a little bit back, so he can develop in the right way. It’s good to have great players in our academy.”

When Palace face Newcastle next week, Devenny will likely be displaced from the ten role with Eberechi Eze expected to return to the matchday squad. However, the question for Glasner is whether the midfielder is moved to the bench or accommodated elsewhere on the pitch. The answer is unclear, but the 21-year-old has certainly done his best to justify keeping a spot in the side battling relegation.