CRYSTAL PALACE 2-0 BURNLEY: REPORT

Crystal Palace have won for the first time this season at Selhurst Park after a comfortable 2-0 win over Burnley.

Source: The Times

Goals either side of half-time from James McArthur and Andros Townsend ensured Burnley dropped to 19th in the Premier League table.

Meanwhile for Palace, they climb to 14th in the table, after winning their first league game in eight attempts.

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HOW IT HAPPENED

Palace started excellently, looking like a confident team who had won their last few games.

The Eagles deservedly took the lead 16 minutes in, when McArthur's cross from the left hand side beat Joe Hart and gave the hosts the lead.

Max Meyer came close with half-time approaching, a dominant first-half from Palace and it was no doubt a stern half-time team talk from Sean Dyche.

Wilfried Zaha had a couple of chances for the hosts, one that forced Hart into action and the Ivorian blazing the other one over the crossbar.

Burnley were holding on, but Palace's relentlessness proved too much for the Clarets.

Cheikhou Kouyate fed Townsend on the right-hand side, and the English winger found the far corner with a fierce shot past Hart.

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THE MANAGERS

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson:

"I'm delighted because we played very well, we have had teams on the rack at home and not got the win we needed, so it was good to get a win after a good performance.

"It's good to see the team playing well, and I didn't think we were going to relinquish our grip and let them back in. We did what we needed to do and I am delighted we won it with such a good goal."

Burnley boss Sean Dyche:

"We have to be a team, and we are a bit stretched at the moment. The effort's good, but it's a bit misguided at the moment, we have to remind them how they can play.

"Questions do get asked, they are bound to - we are in a results business. There's work to be done, the players are involved in that work and they wish to be. But I have not forgotten how we got here and how we built it. I'm pretty level about that, but I know there is more needs to be done."