Daniel Munoz's crucial header just before half-time earned Crystal Palace a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at Burnley on Wednesday night, piling more pressure on the struggling Clarets. The win at Turf Moor on 3 December 2025 lifts Oliver Glasner's side into the European conversation, while Burnley's fifth straight league loss leaves them mired in the relegation zone.
A Game Decided on the Counter-Attack
The match was a largely poor affair, with the decisive moment of quality arriving in first-half stoppage time. Marc Guehi delivered a superb curling cross from deep on the left flank, and Colombian defender Daniel Munoz escaped the attention of Jaidon Anthony at the back post to power a header home. It was Munoz's fourth goal of the season and proved to be the match-winner.
Burnley, managed by Scott Parker, enjoyed the bulk of early possession but did little with it, rarely threatening Dean Henderson's goal in the Palace half. The Eagles, rebounding from defeats to Strasbourg and Manchester United, were content to sit deep and exploit their pace on the break. Jean-Philippe Mateta forced an early save from Martin Dubravka, while Yeremy Pino wasted a fine chance created by Mateta, opting to pass when a shot seemed the better option.
Missed Chances and Late Drama
Palace started the second half strongly and should have doubled their lead ten minutes after the restart. Munoz turned provider, cutting the ball back from the byline, but Dubravka saved well from Mateta's strike, with Daichi Kamada unable to reach the rebound.
The miss sparked Burnley into life as the home crowd grew restless. Substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen came closest to an equaliser, cracking a right-footed strike off the crossbar. Late on, a rash challenge from Eddie Nketiah on Lesley Ugochukwu gave Burnley a free-kick on the edge of the box, but Marcus Edwards' effort was tame and hit the wall. In stoppage time, a Henderson error almost proved costly, but Chris Richards was on hand to hack clear Armando Broja's headed effort, preserving the clean sheet and the three points.
Consequences for the Premier League Table
The result has significant implications at both ends of the table. For Crystal Palace, the victory is a timely boost for manager Oliver Glasner as he reportedly seeks further investment in his squad. It moves the team firmly into the mix for European qualification in the early stages of the campaign.
For Burnley, the situation is increasingly dire. A fifth consecutive Premier League defeat keeps them second from bottom, firmly entrenched as one of the favourites for relegation. The lack of a cutting edge in front of goal, despite periods of possession, will be a major concern for Parker and the Turf Moor faithful.
