Jefferson Lerma scores an own goal in Crystal Palace's Premier League game at home to BurnleyImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Jefferson Lerma inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net to complete Burnley's extraordinary first-half comeback

At a glance

  • Burnley score three goals in seven first-half minutes to turn 2-0 deficit into 3-2 lead

  • Hannibal Mejbri and Jaidon Anthony score before Jefferson Lerma's own goal completes turnaround

  • Jorgen Strand Larsen had scored twice on his home debut to give Crystal Palace two-goal cushion

  • PLAYER RATER

ByMatthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

Relegation-threatened Burnley staged an extraordinary first-half fightback to beat Crystal Palace and claim their first Premier League victory in 17 matches.

The Clarets had failed to win in the top flight since overcoming Wolves on 26 October, and they appeared to be heading for another bruising evening after two first-half Jorgen Strand Larsen goals had put Palace firmly in the driving seat.

Strand Larsen, making his first appearance at Selhurst Park since joining from Wolves in a club-record deal in January, slammed Adam Wharton's lofted pass beyond Martin Dubravka to put the Eagles ahead after 17 minutes.

The Norwegian striker then netted his and Palace's second shortly after the half-hour mark, directing a brilliant header into the far corner from Jefferson Lerma's outswinging cross.

Burnley failed to register a shot on target in the opening 39 minutes of the game, but Scott Parker's side finished the half in scarcely believable fashion, scoring three goals in seven minutes to take a 3-2 lead into the break.

Hannibal Mejbri reduced the arrears with a sweetly struck, first-time shot from Marcus Edwards' cut-back, before Jaidon Anthony guided a low drive inside the near post to restore parity four minutes later.

The ball appeared to strike Burnley midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu on the arm in the build-up to the Anthony's effort, but despite Palace's protests the goal was allowed to stand.

The Clarets' astonishing turnaround was complete in first-half stoppage time when Henderson parried Bashir Humphreys' header on to the foot of Lerma, who was unable to prevent the ball trickling over the line for an own goal.

Palace, who arrested a 12-match winless run with victory at rivals Brighton on Sunday, dominated possession in the second half without properly testing Dubravka in the Burnley goal.

But they should have salvaged a point when the unmarked Daichi Kamada met Daniel Munoz's cross at the far post, only to turn his header wide of the target from close range.

Glasner's team stay 13th, while Burnley are now nine points adrift of safety with 12 matches left to play.

Burnley analysis: Clarets' stunning recovery just the tonic for Parker

Parker admitted there was "a lot of reflection" and "hurt" following Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers West Ham, during which he was subjected to chants of 'you're getting sacked in the morning' from sections of the Burnley support.

The 45-year-old may have been bracing himself for more of the same after Strand Larsen had doubled his and Palace's lead 12 minutes before half-time.

He most certainly won't have been expecting to take a 3-2 lead into half-time – not when Burnley had been so toothless up to that point.

But the Clarets smelled blood after Mejbri's goal had reduced the arrears, capitalising on Palace's inertia to complete a phenomenal turnaround.

Burnley are only the fifth team – and first since 2009 – to trail by two or more goals in the first half of a Premier League game, but still go into the break ahead.

And only three times before had they scored three first-half goals in the top flight, last doing so against Brentford in October 2021.

Burnley's focus in the second half was all about containing Palace, and they appeared to be holding on comfortably until Ismaila Sarr sent a thumping volley towards the top corner with virtually the last kick of the game.

However, Dubravka produced a stunning save to parry Sarr's shot out of harm's way and secure a precious three points.

After all the first-half chaos, you'd be forgiven for forgetting that kick-off at Selhurst Park was delayed by 10 minutes after the Burnley team bus had got caught up in traffic on the way to the ground.

The visitors' preparations may have been far from ideal, but the result certainly was.

More to follow

How to play

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10Pure perfection

Number: 1 D. Henderson
Number: 26 C. Richards
Number: 5 M. Lacroix
Number: 8 J. Lerma
Number: 3 T. Mitchell
Number: 18 D. Kamada
Number: 20 A. Wharton
Number: 2 D. Muñoz
Number: 29 E. Guessand
Number: 7 I. Sarr
Number: 22 J. Strand Larsen

Substitutes

Number: 19 W. Hughes
Number: 11 B. Johnson
Number: 10 Yeremy Pino
Number: 34 C. Riad
Number: 12 C. Uche

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.