Lancashire | Burnley comeback stuns Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace 2 - 3 Burnley

Relegation-threatened Burnley produced a remarkable first-half comeback to defeat Crystal Palace and end a 17-match wait for a Premier League victory.

Author | Andrew Montgomery 

Stadium | Selhurst Park

The Clarets had not tasted success in the top flight since beating Wolves on 26 October and looked set for another chastening night when Jorgen Strand Larsen struck twice to put Palace in control at Selhurst Park.

Larsen opened the scoring after 17 minutes, powering Adam Wharton’s lofted pass beyond Martin Dubravka. The Norwegian added a second just after the half hour, steering an excellent header into the far corner from Jefferson Lerma’s outswinging delivery.

Then everything changed

Hannibal Mejbri began the revival with a crisp first-time finish from Marcus Edwards’ cut-back. Four minutes later Jaidon Anthony drove a low effort inside the near post to level the scores. Palace protested that the ball had struck Lesley Ugochukwu’s arm in the build-up, but the goal was upheld.

The turnaround was completed in first-half stoppage time. Dean Henderson parried Bashir Humphreys’ header on to Lerma and the ball trickled over the line for an own goal, capping a scarcely believable spell.

Palace, buoyed by Sunday’s win at Brighton which ended a 12-match run without victory, dominated possession after the interval but struggled to trouble Dubravka. Their best opportunity fell to Daichi Kamada, left unmarked at the far post, though he headed Daniel Munoz’s cross wide from close range.

Dubravka preserved Burnley’s advantage with an outstanding save from Ismaila Sarr in the closing moments, pushing the Senegal international’s effort away to secure three precious points.

Oliver Glasner’s side remain 13th, while Burnley are still nine points from safety with 12 matches remaining, yet this result may yet offer renewed belief in the closing weeks of the campaign.