Second-placed Burnley ended their 16-game winless run thanks to a seven-minute Crystal Palace capitulation, which helped Scott Parker’s side fight back from two goals down in the first half to win 3-2 at Selhurst Park.
On a night that should have been very different for Oliver Glasner’s side, Jorgen Strand Larsen got off to a dream start on his home debut, scoring twice early on.
It was one-way traffic for the first 40 minutes against a Burnley side who had arrived late due to traffic jams, causing a delayed kick-off.
After a frosty start, however, Hannibal Mejbri pulled one back for Burnley before Jaidon Anthony smartly slotted past Dean Henderson to bring the Clarets level.
Burnley weren’t done there though as, with the break looming, Bashir Humphreys’ header created a mess that resulted in a Jefferson Lerma own goal.
With 45 minutes to make up for their main first-half deficit, Palace huffed and puffed but could not break down a rarely solid Burnley defence. Palace’s only shot on target in the second half came in stoppage time when Martin Dubravka made a superb stop to deny Ismaila Sarr an equaliser.
Defeat for Palace means they extend their Selhurst rot with the Eagles now eight games without a home win as they drop to 14th.
After being cut out of the race for Premier League survival, Burnley’s comeback is helping them close the gap on 18th-placed West Ham to six points.
Glasner critical of sloppy defense
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said his side did not deserve to win.
“When you defend as sloppily as we did in those eight or nine minutes, you deserve to lose,” Glasner said.
“We controlled the game, scored great goals, and look at what the players did. Forgot everything about the basics, about the duels, second balls, defending, complaining about the referee’s decision, their handball, to stop playing.
“We still complain when we concede a goal. Maybe it felt too easy to be too low up and control the game.
“Then we got punished in the second half, we tried everything. But if you throw the game away like we did in those eight or nine minutes, you don’t deserve to win and that’s why we have to accept it. But honestly, it’s very tough today.”
Parker: Not many teams can do what we did tonight
Burnley boss Scott Parker was full of praise for his side after their win.
“I can’t describe to you, last weekend, we were at home and the adversity, the stress, the clear frustration on everyone. The performance tonight, I’m sorry, not many teams could do that.
“Not where we are, not where we’re sitting at the moment and then coming out to the home game against West Ham where we’re practically booed off the pitch by our own fans. I get it, I’m not criticizing it, I have my views on it, but to come here, to be 2-0 down, it just speaks [volumes] absolutely.
“I have four sons, and the one thing I tell them is exactly that. If there was ever a lesson for them, my young boys, it’s tonight. Because in those moments, in those moments when people could fold, that group, what you see tonight, well, it was incredible.”