Scott Parker has lavished praise on his Burnley side following what he described as an 'unbelievable' comeback victory at Crystal Palace. The Clarets dramatically ended a 16-match Premier League winless run with a stunning 3-2 triumph at Selhurst Park, scoring three times in a remarkable seven-minute spell.
A Dream Start Turns to Nightmare for Palace
The match began as a dream home debut for Crystal Palace's club-record signing, Jorgen Strand Larsen. The striker opened his Eagles account in the 17th minute and added a second goal just 16 minutes later, seemingly putting the hosts in complete control. However, the game transformed into a nightmare for Palace late in the first half.
The Seven-Minute Turnaround
Hannibal Mejbri ignited Burnley's hopes by halving the deficit in the 40th minute. Just four minutes later, Jaidon Anthony drew the sides level with a crucial equaliser. The astonishing comeback was completed when Jefferson Lerma turned the ball into his own net, handing Burnley a 3-2 lead within a breathtaking seven-minute period.
"I'm sorry, there's not many teams who could do that," said an emotional Scott Parker after the match. "Not where we are, not where we currently sit, and then coming out of the home fixture against West Ham, where we're practically getting booed off the pitch by our own fans – and I understand that, I'm not criticising that, I've got my views on that – but to come here, to be 2-0 down."
Parker, who referenced his four sons, added: "The one thing I say to them is exactly that. If ever there was learning for them young boys of mine, it's tonight, because in these moments, when people could wilt, and people could fold, that group – what you see tonight – was unbelievable."
Late Drama and Managerial Reactions
The contest had an unusual start, beginning 10 minutes late after the Burnley team found themselves stuck in south London traffic. The drama continued into stoppage time, where goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made a vital save to deny Ismaila Sarr a last-gasp equaliser, preserving all three points for the visitors.
Despite the victory, Burnley remain second-from-bottom in 19th place, six points adrift of West Ham directly above them. Parker emphasised the significance of the result for his squad's morale: "The thing that just stands at the forefront of my mind is what this whole group have gone through. To come here and do what they did was absolutely incredible, and to be honest that game will live with me for a long, long time."
Palace Boss Glasner's Frustration
For Crystal Palace, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after snapping their own 12-game winless run across all competitions with a victory at Brighton just days earlier. Manager Oliver Glasner did not hold back in his criticism of his team's collapse.
"I didn't recognise my team in these 10 minutes," said the Austrian boss. "What I have seen, honestly, if they do this in training I get crazy and they hear it. They are not bad characters, but in this situation we threw the game away."
Glasner felt his side "forgot about the basics" after their positive start, concluding: "When you defend so sloppy, like we did in these eight, nine minutes, you deserve to lose." The result leaves both clubs with much to ponder as the Premier League season continues its unpredictable course.
