Wondrous Wood Demoralises de Boer In Early Clarets Victory

Match Report: Burnley vs Crystal Palace: Premier League Match Day Four 11th September 2017

New signing Chris Wood made it two goals in two games for Sean Dyche’s Burley with a third-minute strike to give his side all three points and put Eagles Boss Frank de Boer on the brink at Turf Moor yesterday afternoon.

The visitors put in a desperate performance in the North but were unable to avoid becoming the only team in Premier League History to taste defeat in their opening four games without scoring a single goal.

Furthermore, rumours began spiralling about the future of de Boer, with pundits and fans alike agreeing that his style of play isn’t only not suited to Crystal Palace, but not suited to The Premier League as a whole. As a result with only four games played we’ve seen him lose his job.

However, the manner in which the hosts took the lead in the early exchanges lent no blame to the Dutchman, as South-Korean Chung-Yong Lee made a catastrophic error.

Lee, who was making his 100th Premier League appearance, placed a cross defence pass straight at the feet of Wood to allow him a clear run at goal.

The former Leeds United man would make no mistake in guiding the ball around an advancing Wayne Hennessey from around 30 yards from goal, to stun the traveling Palace fans.

The Clarets, after making one change to the side that earned a draw at Wembley, posed little attacking threat in the 87 minutes that followed but impressed wildly with an incredible defensive performance.

The visitors started their game long assault on the home side’s back four soon after going behind, as Scott Dann’s volley was superbly cleared off the line by Matt Lowton.

As the game persisted, chances kept on flowing for The Eagles with Christian Benteke heading narrowly wide from an Andros Townsend delivery and James McArthur doing the very same thing.

While Sam Vokes came inches from doubling his side’s advantage at the end of the first period, Jeff Schlupp fired way over the goal of substitute keeper Nick Pope.

Many fans would have thought that losing Tom Heaton to a suspected dislocated Shoulder in that first-half would have disadvantaged Burnley.

But, not with a backup like Pope as he spread his body to make the save of the match to deny Benteke from a one-on-one.

In what turned out to be an exceedingly frustrating day for Dann, he was again denied by a last ditch block with James Tarkowski stopping his fellow centre-back from finding an equalizer outstandingly in the closing stages.

Despite already having had two gut wrenching moments in front of goal, things were about to go from bad to worse within seconds of Michael Oliver’s full-time whistle for Palace’s No4.

Thanks to fantastic work from Benteke and Yohan Cabaye, Dann was allowed a free heading chance into a partially empty net, only for the former Blackburn Rovers man to drag his effort agonizingly wide.

The miss epitomised The South London Club’s campaign so far, as they remained rooted to 19th place and will sit bottom after Match Day Four should fellow strugglers West Ham United overcome Huddersfield Town tonight.

But, for Sean Dyche and Burnley, three points ensures a very respectable start to the season with seven points from a possible 12 and trip to Anfield next Saturday scheduled.

Although Dyche commented after the game that the visitors were indeed the better side, there have been constellations for Frank de Boer.

After giving him the sack, Palace are now left with a do or die mission at home to Southampton next weekend.

Man of the Match: James Tarkowski