Burnley shocked Crystal Palace with a 3-2 comeback victory to end a 16-game Premier League winless streak and spoil Jorgen Strand Larsen’s Selhurst Park debut.
It all looked to be headed towards a dream introduction for the hosts’ Norwegian club-record signing, who made his first Eagles appearance in Sunday’s victory at Brighton, where the visitors halted their own 12-game skid without a victory in all competitions.
They dominated the beginning of the contest before Strand Larsen opened his Palace account with a 17th-minute opener, then nodded home a second 16 minutes later.
But Hannibal Mejbri clawed a goal back in the 40th minute and Jaidon Anthony drew the sides level four minutes later, before Jefferson Lerma’s own goal in first half added time ensured the visitors went into the break with what proved to be an unassailable lead.
Oliver Glasner, who will leave Palace at the end of this season, reached a century of games in charge of the Eagles, having won his first – also against Burnley – at Selhurst Park in February 2024.
Kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes as a result of heavy traffic impeding the visitors’ arrival.
Once the action finally got underway it was Palace in the driver’s seat, albeit unable to manufacture any real chances, Tyrick Mitchell closest to opening the scoring with a misdirected 10th-minute header.
The crosses kept coming, but the key connection eluded the hosts until Strand Larsen latched onto Adam Wharton’s excellent ball over the top, slotting past the outstretched arm of Martin Dubravka.
Burnley might have equalised six minutes later when Anthony found Zian Flemming, but he skied his effort from 12 yards out.
Strand Larsen capitalised on more positive Palace momentum in the 33rd minute, doubling the Eagles’ advantage when he stooped to nod home Lerma’s cross.
But Burnley cut the deficit in half 11 minutes later, when Marcus Edwards shrewdly pulled back a pass for the unmarked Mejbri, who fired past the diving Dean Henderson.
And it was all square four minutes later when the visitors caught the Eagles on the counter, Lesley Ugochukwu the catalyst as he advanced and teed up Anthony, who thanked him with a composed finish.
Palace protested a potential a handball in the build-up, but the goal stood following a VAR check.
The home support was stunned into silence when the visitors took a first-time lead.
It began with a Clarets corner, flicked on by Bashir Humphreys. Henderson, diving to his right, found himself entangled with Lerma and inadvertently pushed the ball in the direction of the unfortunate Colombian, whose unfortunate touch crossed the line.
Maxence Lacroix directed a header wide as the Eagles went in search of an equaliser.
There were chances for both sides after the hour, including a big opportunity for Daichi Kamada, who nodded Daniel Munoz’s cross into the side-netting.
A lively conclusion to the contest saw substitutions aplenty introduced, Burnley survive a scramble, and Dubravka preserving all three points for the visitors with a brilliant save to deny Ismaila Sarr a stoppage-time equaliser.
