Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Palace Climb Into the Top Half

30 November 2019 17:12

Crystal Palace climbed up into tenth after an impressive 2-0 away win at an uninspiring Burnley side at Turf Moor.

​Palace started the game brightly and looked the more dangerous of the two sides as both Luka Milivojević and James Tomkins saw efforts saved by Burnley keeper Nick Pope. 


Jordan Ayew had a goal ruled out for offside following good wing play by Patrick van Aanholt. It was rightly ruled out, but it took VAR way too long to make the decision. Palace were the better side and took the lead after Wilfried Zaha powered a shot past Nick Pope at the near post. Pope will be disappointed to have been beaten so easily at his front post as ​Burnley took a deserved lead into half time.

The first big chance of the second half fell to Burnley's Chris Wood who found himself through on goal after a Crystal Palace defensive mistake, but could only fire over the bar. There was another huge chance for Wood but James McArthur cleared his header off the line.

Burnley pushed for an equaliser but were caught at the back when Ben Mee tried a bicycle kick clearance (yes) and he comically booted it into his own face (yes). Jeffrey Schlupp was there to mop up and tuck past Nick Pope. Burnley tried to grab a consolation but Palace secured a deserve 2-0 win away at Turf Moor.

 BURNLEY

Key Talking Point

​Burnley came into the game off back-to-back 3-0 wins in the ​Premier League looking to extend their challenge for Europa League contention. But, they struggled all day long and looked rather toothless in the final third.

Chris Wood

They looked lacklustre in attack as Chris Wood had two glorious chances to pull the Clarets level but wasted both chances. Chelsea and Liverpool were the only two teams to have won away at Turf Moor but now Palace have made it three teams to win there. 

Burnley's prospects for Europa League have taken a huge blow and it was their own fault following two horrendous defensive mistakes by Pope and Mee. Sean Dyche will not be happy.

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Player Ratings​

Starting XI: Pope (5); Bardsley (6), Tarkowski (5), Mee (4), Taylor (6); Brady (6*), Hendrick (5), Cork (6), McNeil (5); Wood (4), Barnes (5)

Substitutes: ​Pieters (5), Rodriguez (6), Lennon (N/A)

STAR PLAYER - This is a tough one. Burnley were pretty poor all day and didn't look secure at the back or threatening going forward. 

Robbie Brady

Robbie Brady was the best player on the pitch for Burnley and looked relatively dangerous down the right side of midfield - but was kept mostly quiet by Van Aanholt.

This wasn't a good Burnley performance - and it was surprising to see them being out played at home given their home performances this season. 

CRYSTAL PALACE

Key Talking Point

Crystal Palace were excellent for the whole 90 minutes. They came into the game on a horrendous run of form that had seen them lose three on the bounce and without a victory in five games. 

Sean Dyche,Roy Hodgson

Wilfried Zaha hadn't scored in the first 12 games of the league season but has now scored in back-to-back games, opening the scoring for the Eagles.

If Palace are going to make a charge for a top half finish, then Zaha will be key. The most important thing for Hodgson and his men, however, was stopping the rot in the Premier League having lost three in a row prior this game.

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Guaita (7); Kelly (7), Tomkins (8), Dann (7), Van Aanholt (6); Townsend (7), Kouyaté (6), Milivojević (6)​, McArthur (8), Zaha (9*); Ayew (6)

Substitutes: Sakho (7), Schlupp (8), Benteke (N/A)

STAR PLAYER - The whole Palace XI played well and were crucial to this important away win. But ​Wilfried Zaha was a constant menace down the left hand side for the Eagles.

Wilfried Zaha,Martin Kelly

He opened the scoring for the away side on the verge of half time with a powerful strike that got the better of Nick Pope at his front post.

After not scoring in his first 12 Premier League games this season, Zaha seems to have found the form that Palace fans will want to see. Whether he can properly kick on from this purple patch is yet to be seen.

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Looking Ahead

The festive fixture list truly begins this week as Burnley host champions Manchester City at Turf Moor on Tuesday night looking to bounce back from this setback.

Meanwhile, in midweek Roy Hodgson's Palace host Bournemouth searching for back-to-back league wins to push them further into the top half. 

Source: 90min