After slumping to consecutive PL defeats, each without so much as a shot on target, Crystal Palace set about making amends from the off. A couple of early runs in behind from Dominic Solanke provided some attacking promise for the hosts, but it was the visitors tallying up the shots. And with less than 20 minutes played, Jordan Ayew netted his first PL goal of the season, nodding into the ground at the near post, having been left completely unmarked.
The Cherries had given up a league-high nine goals from corners heading into this fixture, and by HT, that figure stood at 11 as they were undone yet again. This time, a low ball to the edge of the box from Michael Olise found Eberechi Eze, who swept in to hand his side a deserved two-goal cushion. The scoreline was undoubtedly a fair reflection of proceedings after Palace’s opener, as Bournemouth left the field to a chorus of boos, facing a mountain to climb in the second half.
Solanke forced a save out of Vicente Guaita as Gary O'Neil’s side searched for a response after the break, but Palace remained firmly in control with an hour played. A half low on clear-cut opportunities certainly suited the away side, who found themselves edging closer to the top half of the PL table with each passing minute. The hosts dominated possession in the closing stages, but remained short on ideas, failing to alter the scoreline.
With the game seemingly settled long before the final whistle, Bournemouth suffered a sixth defeat in seven PL matches. Meanwhile, Patrick Vieira’s side can celebrate a rare victory on the road, with this triumph in Dorset representing just their second success in 10 away league trips.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace)
