Match ends, Bournemouth 0, Crystal Palace 2.
BournemouthAFC Bournemouth0Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace2
European football "is possible" next season, says Crystal Palace skipper Luka Milivojevic after helping his side to a comfortable victory over strugglers Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
In the first top flight game shown live on BBC TV since 1988, Roy Hodgson's side moved into the top 10 and left the mediocre Cherries in the relegation zone.
The Eagles are now just four points adrift of fifth-placed Manchester United, who currently occupy a Europa League spot for next season.
Milivojevic told BBC One: "We are not far from it and the last few seasons we have been looking behind.
"It was a perfect night for us, we cannot have imagined a better beginning after a big break. Three points and clean sheet, I am very proud of the boys.
"It is not easy to continue after a break but it is great tonight to come here against a good team to win 2-0 and so I'm happy to be honest."
Palace took the lead when Milivojevic curled in a 12th-minute free-kick before Jordan Ayew swept home a second after 23 minutes.
Palace saw out the victory in comfort as Bournemouth failed to mount any sort of serious pressure, to leave manager Eddie Howe and his side in serious trouble at the foot of the Premier League.
Bournemouth simply too soft
Howe has received lavish praise for his work at Bournemouth over the years - but he has hit a brick wall as old problems are haunting The Cherries this season.
Bournemouth, at their best, are pleasing on the eye and can pull off the occasional shock as they did in winning at Chelsea in December, but too often they are simply too soft and too easy to score against.
And in their first game since the resumption of the Premier League, Bournemouth looked the same old side, one destined for relegation.
Howe has had long enough to solve the issues Bournemouth have faced but this game once again illustrated the problems he has failed to solve.
He now has the added problem of one of his best attacking players, Ryan Fraser, having taken himself out of the equation by announcing he would not extend his contrast beyond 30 June, thus finishing his Bournemouth career.
Given the fact Bournemouth have not taken a single point away from home in 2020 it is clear the Vitality is their best hope of survival - but not on this evidence.
Howe has a big reputation. Now he must justify it.
Hodgson's top class job
Roy Hodgson is nowhere near as fashionable as Eddie Howe - and it was understandable he received so much criticism following his England failure in the last 16 in Euro 2016.
There is no question, however, that Hodgson is in his element at Palace, building a side that is solid in defence, dangerous in attack and solid enough to ensure Premier League stability.
This win leaves Palace sitting comfortably in the top 10 and the goals, from Milovjevic's free-kick and Jordan Ayew's sweeping finish, showed exactly what they are about.
Hodgson may have his critics for his previous work with Liverpool and England, but when his efforts at the likes of Fulham and West Bromwich Albion are examined, it is no surprise what an excellent job he is doing at his boyhood club.
'I worry for Bournemouth' - what BBC pundits said
Former Arsenal and Crystal Palace winger Ian Wright, speaking on BBC One: "When you look at their lack of creativity, you do worry for Bournemouth.
"Their next game is away to Wolves who like to play on the counter-attack and whose creativity will cause Bournemouth a lot of problems."
Ex-England captain Alan Shearer: "Palace will find it tougher in midweek when they have to go to Liverpool, but that win will give them great confidence.
"Teams can start rusty and be slow, which has been evident in the games since Wednesday, but in the main teams have picked up. There was nothing from Bournemouth and that will be a real worry."
Man of the Match - Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace)
'We have to play better' - what they said
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe: "We know now we have one game less to achieve our objective.
"The table is still so tight, the difference is so tight and we could look at back-to-back wins as being the difference for us. We have to believe that is going to happen but we have to play better than we did in the first half an hour in this game."
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson: "I thought the first half was very good. We passed the ball well and I thought our defending was excellent throughout but I thought the game became a bit more bitty in the second half.
"To go in 2-0 up at half-time was a good reward for what was an excellent performance. The front three were excellent today. I think we have had a threat up front all season but the problem is we don't score enough goals. We have just perhaps not taken them as well as we should do but today we did.
"We've had four wins in a row which is something I've never had in the Premier League with any of my clubs before and four clean sheets. That is very commendable but now that will be put to the test when we go to Liverpool on Wednesday."
A rare four in a row for Palace - the stats
- Crystal Palace have won four consecutive Premier League games, the best ongoing winning run of all sides in the competition; only in December 1992 and April 2014 (both five in a row) have they enjoyed a longer winning streak in the top- .
- Bournemouth have lost seven Premier League games in 2020; no other side has lost more during this calendar year (level with West Ham).
- This was the first time Crystal Palace scored more than one goal in the first half of a Premier League game this season; they last did so on the final day of the 2018-19 campaign, also against Bournemouth.
- Bournemouth have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their past 13 league matches, conceding 25 goals across this spell. Crystal Palace have won three consecutive league meetings with Bournemouth for the first time since April 1988.
- Coming in the 12th minute, Luka Milivojevic's opener was the first goal Crystal Palace have scored in the opening 20 minutes of any Premier League match this season.
- Both of Jordan Ayew's last two Premier League goals have been scored in the first half; only one of his first 23 strikes in the competition had been in the opening 45 minutes before this.
What next?
Bournemouth travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Wednesday, 24 June (18:00 BST) while Crystal Palace are at Liverpool later the same day (20:15 BST).
Line-ups
Bournemouth
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 12Ramsdale
- 17Stacey
- 3S CookBooked at 86mins
- 5Aké
- 15A SmithBooked at 45mins
- 8Lerma
- 22WilsonSubstituted forDanjuma Groeneveldat 45'minutes
- 20BrooksSubstituted forStanislasat 61'minutes
- 16L CookBooked at 67mins
- 7KingSubstituted forSolankeat 49'minutes
- 13Wilson
Substitutes
- 1Boruc
- 4Gosling
- 6Surman
- 9Solanke
- 14Danjuma Groeneveld
- 19Stanislas
- 21Rico
- 26Kelly
- 33Mepham
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Guaita
- 2WardBooked at 71mins
- 6Dann
- 24Cahill
- 3van Aanholt
- 8Kouyaté
- 4MilivojevicSubstituted forMcCarthyat 65'minutes
- 18McArthurSubstituted forRiedewaldat 89'minutes
- 9J AyewBooked at 45mins
- 17BentekeSubstituted forTownsendat 76'minutes
- 11Zaha
Substitutes
- 7Meyer
- 10Townsend
- 12Sakho
- 13Hennessey
- 22McCarthy
- 36Tavares
- 39Mitchell
- 40Pierrick Keutcha
- 44Riedewald
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
Match Stats
Home TeamBournemouthAway TeamCrystal Palace
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away2
- Corners
- Home11
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 0, Crystal Palace 2.
Post update
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James McCarthy.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jefferson Lerma (Bournemouth) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Junior Stanislas with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Gary Cahill.
Post update
VAR Decision: No card change Lewis Cook (Bournemouth).
Post update
Foul by Jefferson Lerma (Bournemouth).
Post update
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Hand ball by Jefferson Lerma (Bournemouth).
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jairo Riedewald replaces James McArthur.
Post update
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Adam Smith.
Booking
Steve Cook (Bournemouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Steve Cook (Bournemouth).
Post update
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nathan Aké (Bournemouth) header from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Steve Cook.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Junior Stanislas (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace).
Post update
Attempt missed. Gary Cahill (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jordan Ayew following a corner.
Comments
Join the conversation
Just saying...........
Roy Hodgson. 73 and still going strong.
He’s created a decent team at palace.
Palace did what they had to do today in the first half.
Wise old fox that Roy.
I reckon every time Fergie sees Roy managing another match he wishes he didn’t retire so early. Roy loves it and doing incredibly well.
Keep it going Mr Hodgson.
Your getting better with age!
Bournemouth look in big trouble on that evidence. I assume they've been told they're allowed closer than 2m to each other?
Goal of the month for June could be pretty tasty!
Hope the one more is West Ham but I think it'll be Bournemouth.
As for Bournemouth, I would be very disappointed if they were my team, not playing well is one thing, but lack of effort and desire is another, not looking good for them !!
"Players hugging after each goal , never been a better way to get Corona virus. Doubt if you'll be fit to play again in a match in two weeks time. When the public are doing their bit in social distancing what makes footballers any different?"
The difference is they get tested twice a week for the presence of Covid-19 which I doubt you don't. I know I don't.
Let's hope that happens.
Cook, on the other hand, elbowed Kouyate in the neck. RED.
This VAR business is still too subjective and hardly worth the bother.
Palace are well drilled and looked sharper, faster and hungrier.
Considering Bournemouth’s position, their lack of fight and energy was surprising.