Palace stun Leeds to boost survival hopes

Crystal Palace have scored seven goals in Roy Hodgson’s two games since he returned to the club

Crystal Palace staged a remarkable second-half turnaround to give a significant boost to their Premier League survival hopes and leave stunned Leeds with plenty of work to do in their own bid to avoid relegation.

The Eagles scored four goals after the break with Jordan Ayew – in for the injured Wilfried Zaha – scoring two in an incredible demolition of the home side.

Such a victory looked hugely unlikely after Patrick Bamford’s 50th goal for the club gave Leeds the reward their early dominance deserved.

But from then on it all went downhill as Marc Guehi flicked in an equaliser on the stroke of half-time before Palace scored two goals in two minutes soon after the break.

First, Ayew made it 2-1 with an excellent header before Eberechi Eze added a quick third, poking in from Michael Olise’s pass.

Odsonne Edouard drove a fourth into the bottom corner following a quick counter – with the excellent Olise providing the assist again – and Ayew completed the rout late on when he lifted a shot over Illan Meslier, prompting many Leeds fans to leave.

The stunning win moves Crystal Palace up to 12th in the Premier League, six points clear of the relegation zone, while Leeds are 16th, just two points above the drop.

Palace continue revival under Hodgson

Leeds 1-5 Crystal Palace: Roy Hodgson encouraged but Eagles ‘not clear yet’

Eyebrows were raised when Palace turned to their former manager Hodgson at the end of last month, following a long winless run under Patrick Vieira that had put them in danger of relegation.

The 75-year-old left the club at the end of the 2020-21 season but agreed to come out of retirement to help his boyhood club one final time.

His impact has been instant and nothing short of incredible.

In his first game back Palace beat Leicester 2-1, peppering the Foxes’ goal with 31 shots, and they followed that up with this impressive destruction of Leeds.

For 45 minutes it looked incredibly unlikely but, after riding their luck, they produced a clinical display in the second half, taking their chances as Leeds imploded.

Back-to-back wins mean Palace are already likely out of the relegation battle and it has taken Hodgson a little over two weeks to effectively complete the job he was brought in for.

Leeds remain in trouble after worrying 45 minutes

Leeds 1-5 Crystal Palace – Javi Gracia reacts to crushing defeat

There were concerns that Leeds would pay the price for not making the most of their first-half dominance, but no-one could have foreseen what would unfold at Elland Road after the break.

For as sharp and hungry as they were in the first 45 minutes, Leeds were disjointed and lethargic after the break as the players and fans were left in disbelief as Palace tore them apart with clinical efficiency.

As good as Leeds are going forward, a question mark remains over their defence and they left huge gaps that the excellent Olise took great joy in exploiting as he claimed a hat-trick of assists.

Only Bournemouth have conceded more goals than Leeds’ 54 this season and that is the area Javi Gracia will need to address quickly to ensure his side are playing Premier League football again next season.

Player of the match

OliseMichael Olise

Leeds United

1. Squad number9Player nameBamford

2. Squad number1Player nameMeslier

3. Squad number5Player nameKoch

4. Squad number11Player nameHarrison

5. Squad number23Player nameSinisterra

6. Squad number7Player nameAaronson

7. Squad number21Player nameStruijk

8. Squad number28Player nameMcKennie

9. Squad number8Player nameRoca

10. Squad number3Player nameFirpo

11. Squad number2Player nameAyling

12. Squad number19Player nameRodrigo

13. Squad number29Player nameGnonto

14. Squad number25Player nameKristensen

15. Squad number24Player nameRutter

Crystal Palace

1. Squad number7Player nameOlise

2. Squad number10Player nameEze

3. Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew

4. Squad number21Player nameJohnstone

5. Squad number22Player nameÉdouard

6. Squad number6Player nameGuéhi

7. Squad number15Player nameSchlupp

8. Squad number16Player nameAndersen

9. Squad number19Player nameHughes

10. Squad number28Player nameDoucouré

11. Squad number2Player nameWard

12. Squad number3Player nameMitchell

13. Squad number18Player nameMcArthur

14. Squad number17Player nameClyne

15. Squad number14Player nameMateta

16. Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic

Line-ups

Leeds

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Meslier

2Ayling5Koch21Struijk3Firpo

28McKennie8Roca

11Harrison7Aaronson23Sinisterra

9Bamford

• 1Meslier
• 2Ayling
• 5Koch
• 21Struijk
• 3FirpoBooked at 44minsSubstituted forKristensenat 60’minutes
• 28McKennieBooked at 86mins
• 8Roca
• 11Harrison
• 7AaronsonSubstituted forGnontoat 60’minutesBooked at 90mins
• 23SinisterraSubstituted forRodrigoat 60’minutes
• 9BamfordSubstituted forRutterat 79’minutes

Substitutes

• 4Forshaw
• 6Cooper
• 10Summerville
• 19Rodrigo
• 22Robles
• 24Rutter
• 25Kristensen
• 29Gnonto
• 42Greenwood

Crystal Palace

Formation 4-3-3

21Johnstone

2Ward16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell

10Eze28Doucouré15Schlupp

7Olise22Édouard9J Ayew

• 21Johnstone
• 2WardBooked at 50minsSubstituted forClyneat 87’minutes
• 16Andersen
• 6Guéhi
• 3Mitchell
• 10Eze
• 28DoucouréSubstituted forMilivojevicat 80’minutes
• 15SchluppSubstituted forMcArthurat 80’minutes
• 7Olise
• 22ÉdouardSubstituted forHughesat 74’minutes
• 9J AyewSubstituted forMatetaat 80’minutes

Substitutes

• 4Milivojevic
• 5Tomkins
• 8Sambi Lokonga
• 14Mateta
• 17Clyne
• 18McArthur
• 19Hughes
• 41Whitworth
• 44Riedewald

Referee:Simon Hooper

Attendance:36,427

Live Text

1. Match ends, Leeds United 1, Crystal Palace 5.

2. Second Half ends, Leeds United 1, Crystal Palace 5.

3. Delay over. They are ready to continue.

4. Delay in match because of an injury Weston McKennie (Leeds United).

5. Foul by Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace).

6. Jack Harrison (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

7. James McArthur (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.

8. Foul by Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United).

9. Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

10. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.

11. Foul by Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United).

12. Attempt missed. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is just a bit too high. Assisted by Joachim Andersen.

13. Substitution, Crystal Palace. Nathaniel Clyne replaces Joel Ward.

14. Weston McKennie (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

15. Foul by Weston McKennie (Leeds United).

16. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.

17. Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jean-Philippe Mateta replaces Jordan Ayew.

18. Substitution, Crystal Palace. Luka Milivojevic replaces Cheick Doucouré.

19. Substitution, Crystal Palace. James McArthur replaces Jeffrey Schlupp.

20. Substitution, Leeds United. Georginio Rutter replaces Patrick Bamford.

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